Category: Interviews

In a new set report from Movies.com, Matthew has discussed the Potter films and the audition process.

Matthew Lewis, who plays Neville Longbottom, undergoes a gritty makeover for his character’s evolution. “The first week, it was really enjoyable. I thought, ‘This is fun! This is great.’ About 12 months later, it’s pretty boring. The novelty has definitely worn off. When I get the full thing on – a headpiece as well – it took two hours for the first few weeks. We’ve knocked it down to about an hour and a quarter now.” Other changes in his prosthetic makeup included getting rid of the fat suit, which he had to wear in past films to portray a pudgier Neville. “Neville’s slimmed down. We’re trying to suggest he’s living underground at Hogwarts, and he’s been this resistance leader. So he’s not had time to eat, and he’s been stressing out.”

Like Radcliffe, Lewis has played his role since the beginning, and said he’ll miss the security of having Harry Potter. “Auditions are the worst thing in the world. I go to pieces. I just can’t do it. Everything I do from now [on] is going to be a little bit harder, but at the same time, it’s time to move on and do something else. I can’t wait for that either – some ambivalence on it, really. I’m happy, sad, a little bit of both.”

Matthew-Lewis.com will be at the London premiere of Deathly Hallows so stay tuned for fun stuff from it (photos/videos depending on what we can get).

In a new interview with The Independent, Matthew Lewis discusses Neville Longbottom and his costume for playing him as well as Neville’s role in the final film. James and Oliver Phelps as well as Evanna Lynch were interviewed, you can read their segments at the link above and Matt’s below:

Another figure in the book with quintessentially English characteristics is Neville Longbottom. Matt Lewis, 21, from Leeds, was cast to play him ten years ago. Herbology-loving Neville is supposed to be rather chubby and ungainly looking – something which, as Lewis grew increasingly tall, slim and handsome, had to be rectified with fake ears, teeth, overlarge shoes and baggy robes.

Out of costume Lewis is virtually unrecognisable. “I’m pretty lucky that I don’t look much like Neville,” he explains. “It meant I’ve been able to do all the fun stuff like stay in nice hotels when promoting the movies. But then I can go back home to Leeds and go shopping for bread and milk and not get mobbed.”

Neville is a striking character in Rowling’s books because the tragic murder of his auror parents by the evil Voldemort exactly mirrors the death of the Potters. Neville and Harry are linked by a prophecy which could refer to either of them, something which was rather skipped over in the sixth film, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

“In the film there wasn’t really time to put in all the prophecy stuff,” he said. “But I found it interesting that Neville could have been very much like Harry, except that he wasn’t under such pressure. My character didn’t have to mature until the seventh book when Harry leaves Hogwarts. It’s almost because Harry is absent that Neville can form a sort of French resistance to the Death Eaters and really find his strength.”

That Neville could have been rather like Harry but isn’t under nearly the same sort of pressure is a situation which exactly mirrors Lewis and Radcliffe in their careers. Lewis admires Radcliffe in his international stardom – “He’s just the nicest guy you could ever meet” – but his relief that he can maintain anonymity in Leeds is palpable.

Although it is not yet known how Neville’s part in the Hogwarts-based resistance against Voldemort is going to play out in the two final films, from the books it is clear that the battle against the Death Eaters and the elimination of the Horcruxes could not have been won without him. His transition from bumbling geek to heroic figure is something that Lewis takes in his stride.

“David [Yates] and I talked about his defining moment during the Battle of Hogwarts,” he says. “Neville is very adrenalised (sic). He’s just running in head first and putting his life on the line. But as the death toll mounts, there are a couple of scenes where he starts to look really tired and realisation hits that the battle is almost lost.”

[…]

The four actors have all expressed a desire to stay in the film business. Lewis has been acting since he was five years old (“It’s all I know”), the Phelps twins would like to try a Bond film (“I’d be the evil twin,” Oliver says. “Just like real life,” James adds) and Lynch says she’d happily drop her studies for another year for the right role.

In a new interview with the NZ Herald News, Matthew Lewis mentions filming Deathly Hallows and how they did it Lord of the Rings style as well as Helena Bonham Carter’s Bellatrix.

Similarly, to ensure cinematic continuity, director David Yates – who previously helmed Half-Blood Prince and Order of the Phoenix – was re-enlisted for both parts of Deathly Hallows. That decision became a life-saver during filming, says Matt Lewis, who plays Neville Longbottom.

“Not only was it a really long shoot, it was also really tricky because we didn’t film them back to back,” he reveals. “We shot them simultaneously, like Lord of the Rings, so it got really confusing. If we didn’t have such a good crew and David directing us, it could have got completely out of control because the schedule for the last year was crazy. I literally don’t know what film each scene was in, or how they fit together. But we all just buckled down because it’s the last one and we wanted to make it as memorable and epic as possible.”

“She really enjoys getting into her part,” smirks Lewis, recalling a scene he shared with her in Order of the Phoenix. “She was holding me hostage and I remember she turned to the director and said; ‘Wouldn’t it be quite fitting – and sinister – if she started to really enjoy torturing him?’ Then she started playing with her wand, before sticking the tip in my ear, teasingly. There were lots of explosions going off around us and somehow it suddenly went straight into my ear, about an inch! It actually ruptured my eardrum and hurt like hell – I couldn’t hear a thing for a week – but it looked great on camera!”