This past weekend SnitchSeeker had the chance to interview director David Yates, and in that interview he briefly talked about Neville Longbottom, who, as we all know, is played by the wonderful Matthew Lewis.
SnitchSeeker: Neville’s speech – was that in the original script? Because it’s not in the books, so how did it add to that scene against Voldemort in the courtyard?
Yates: It’s Neville’s Henry V moment. Neville’s opportunity to talk about the fact that they had something that they were fighting for other than just … you know, Voldemort is a character who just inspires terror in people. That’s why everyone likes it when they don’t think he can beat Harry. They don’t stay out of loyalty, they stay out of fear. And Neville expresses the fact that they’re all there because they care for each other and they support each other out of love. That’s what his speech is about, basically. And, again, we developed that to express that point. And I like a good speech (laughs).