Where were you when you read your first Harry Potter novel or watched the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone? Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) and Scarlett Byrne (Pansy Parkinson) answered questions in the Sheraton Grand Ballroom Friday evening of Dragon Con about what life was like before being cast, during filming, and after the movies.
Could you picture anyone else in the roles we adore so much? Before being cast, Byrne could see herself as Hermione because she’s always reading. Lynch, on the other hand, said that “there’s something so inspirational in Hermione, Jenny, and Luna. Luna, to me, is more aspirational. That was something more like what I wanted to be.”
Many girls have dreamed about what it would be like to be picked for a role in such a major film. Lynch said she knew that the casting directors were going to call her on Monday, a school day, so she checked her phone constantly throughout the day while worrying that if she missed the call they’d move on to another actress. Toward the end of the school day, she was even checking the rafters for owl mail.
Both Lynch and Byrne agreed that their most memorable day on set was the first day they filmed. For Byrne, her first day was on the train with Tom Felton. If you were wondering how the crew made the train move, this is how the magic of movies happens, according to Byrne: they were in a “train car” with four large poles sticking out from the four corners and four guys pushed on the poles to simulate the train rocking. She also said that “ratting Harry Potter out was really cool.” Lynch’s favorite lasting impression was shooting Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix because of the spirit of Dumbledore’s army.
No Harry Potter story would be complete without deciding which Hogwarts classes to take and to pick a favorite spell. Byrne said she’d like to take any class where she could fly a broom. Potions class is a no-go for Lynch, but Care of Magical Creatures would be a favorite. As for spells, Lynch really liked the expecto patronum.
Now that the movies are complete, the two Hogwarts alumni shared what they thought was missing from the movies. “I have a list,” Lynch stated firmly. The biggest part left out? Dumbledore’s funeral. Byrne differed in that she thought the editors “did the cutting really, really well.”
Looking back on all of the roles in the movies, the duo reflected on which character they would have liked to play. “Tonks would be badass,” Lynch said. Byrne, while a really nice person in the real world, would love to play Bellatrix because it is fun to play the villain.
In case you were wondering, no you aren’t the only one who has had difficulties with the elevators. Backstage, the two were asked how they were enjoying Dragon Con, and their response was that the “lift” (elevator) was interesting. In other words, the elevators weren’t working for them either.
