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The following
is a transcript of a Q&A chat with Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) which took place on
August 25th, 2005. Questions were asked by MuggleNet visitors.
Matthew: Question from Virginia Are you planning on continuing your acting career after Harry Potter? Matthew I have no idea, I am starting the 5th film in February and there are two more books that may be made in to films after that. I will have to wait and see because it is such a fickle business and I think that if the opportunity is there I will probably continue but you really don't know how it is going to turn out, let's hope for the best, eh. Question from Matt Even though you just filmed the Goblet of Fire, what is the last movie you've seen in theatres and did you enjoy it? Matthew The last film I saw at the cinema was Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, I thought it was really good. I was worried about Johnny Depp at first because I was a big fan of Gene Wilder however I quickly warmed to him and I thought his Willy Wonka was very funny and well done. Question from Ashley How do you and the original cast adapt to all of the new cast members added for GOF? Matthew Very, very well. Mike Newell (The Director of GoF) decided that it would be a good idea to have a "workshop type thing" before we began shooting. We got to meet, Katie (Cho), Rob (Cedric), Stan (Krum) and the others. They were all really great people and we had a lot of fun over that few days. I think that really helped because we got to know each other as oppose to just being thrown together for hours at a time and they fit right in perfectly, I look forward to seeing them all again next year. Question from Jackie What or who inspired you to start acting? Matthew Well, I would have to say my brother. He began acting at school in plays and things and eventually his head teacher told my parents that he should think about going to drama classes and hopefully get some real work. So that is exactly what he did and as he was under 16 my mum had to chaperone him and me being even younger, I had to go along. From then on I knew that I wanted to do that too, so I joined the same drama group that he was in and the rest came from there. Question from Aranel On your offical site forum, you posted: "Okay - who really wants to know my middle name? If you really wanna know then I will tell you but there has to be, I dunno, let's say 20 requests starting now and it's all yours - exclusively!" You never answered! What is your middle name? Matthew omg, I remember that and when I read this question the other day I felt so bad that I just forgot about it. All those people who posted replies to that post PLEASE FORGIVE ME!! Well as promised, my middle name is...... David Question from Kim .V Do you feel that you relate to Neville? If so, then in what ways? Matthew In more ways than I would like. I am clumsy and terribly forgetful. I hate it, I can be talking to someone and then suddenly I will just stop and say "what are we talking about?" The slightest things distract me, luckily I don't have the same nervous disposition as Neville :) Question from Sunya What are some of the things that go on in the set that we don't see? Matthew haha, I like this question. Well, last year I did my work experience @ the studio. I was an Assistant Director, a letter opener and I filmed and directed a documentary about what we do when we are off set. I am not sure whether you will ever see it, I haven't even seen it, lol! We play football in the corridors, sometimes, when the tutors are away and we have a rec room with pool and table tennis, we are kept well entertained nothing better than beating Alfie Enoch @ pool and watching Neighbours @ the same time. Question from Liz What does it feel like to play such a klutz that everybody likes to pick on? Do people assume you're like Neville? Matthew It is good, to play a character like that because I don't have that at school (all my mates are great) so it's interesting to see what it's like for somebody who does get picked on a lot. It's also good because although he gets picked on, he still does the right thing and helps out when he can. Lot's of people tell me that they have problems at school but watching Neville come up tops at the end helps them and to me that's a job well done, to me that's the best reward for my job. Question from Judith Excepting that you have a lot of fun at the Yule Ball with Ginny, the character of Neville Longbottom isn't a particularly glamorous screen role -- in fact, it's more of a comic / pratfall type of role -- and you play it very well. What in particular do you do to prepare yourself to play a character like Neville, and would you say it is harder or easier than other roles you've played? Matthew Neville is interesting because as you say he is a "pratfall type of role" but he isn't an idiot, he just finds it difficult to express himself becasue of the fears that he has. So far it has been fairly straight forward playing Neville however I believe it well begin to get more challenging in the 5th film what with the emotional side of Neville coming out. We will see why he has these fears and we will see him at his strongest yet so it is going. Question from Aalia Why have all the Harry Potter Boys (You, James, Oliver, Dan, Rupert, Tom) grown your hair long? It's as if it's a new style in the Harry Potter World? Matthew You know, I have no idea. I was just told to grow my hair for Alfonso Cuaron (Director of PoA) so we did. I guess he liked it, an so did Mike Newell so it stuck. You are right though, it is strange isn't it? Question from Jason How does it feel to see yourself on screen and get to see how much you have grown up since acting in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone? Matthew I can't watch the Philosopher's Stone, it is awful. I don't think that helium could make my voice any higher. In the future I would like to watch them all from start to finish and just see how drastic everybody changes. I meant that my voice was awful btw (not the film, lol...) Question from Jake Have you heard of fan fiction? Do you read it? Do you know what slash is? Matthew I know what fan faction is but I haven't read any, I have heard that they are very good and people at the studios have spoken about them before. I think it is amazing that people like something so much that they write their own tales and spin offs based on that world. It really is great that people put real effort into something like this and as a fan of Harry Potter I will probably read some in the future, as for the "slash" The word slash means...The Ex-lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses and the current lead guitarist of Velvet Revolver or to urinate?... I really don't the context...rofl Question from Jung If you could have a time-turner, what would you do with it? Matthew Ah, good question... Erm, what would I do?? I would probably go back in time and buy a charcoal barbecue instead of a gas one?? cause charcoal just tastes better. I really don't know that is a really good question Question from Megan Do you ever feel less important and/or at competition when shooting with Daniel Radcliffe? Matthew Not at all! Dan is really great and a good friend of mine. He does his job very well and competing with him would be quite tough so I wouldn't bother (coz I am lazy like that) also, because everyone is so great with each other there is never even a thought of competition anyway. More often that not I ask him if what I am saying sounds right or if I have the line right. And do I feel less important? Not at all, Harry Potter is Harry Potter. Also, Neville plays his own part in the story, and in some cases it is an important part so, no I don't feel less important at all! :) Question from Tarun When you are reading a Harry Potter book, and Neville Longbottom is mentioned, do you visualize yourself? Matthew I was a bit worried about getting the 5th book because I thought that that would be exactly what I would do. However, I get so immersed in the story and the characters once again become real people and I forget that I am anything to do with it. Question from Kelly In the books, Neville is described continually as the "most forgetful boy" Harry's ever known--it comes up almost as often as the statement about Harry's mother's eyes. Other people in the books who are described as chronically forgetful (Bertha Jorkins for one) have been subjected to powerful memory charms. Do you think this is the case with Neville's past--possibly administered to forget the torture of his parents? Matthew Very interesting theory. I have thought about this myself after reading a book that was given to me by Mugglenet (thanks again btw). It mentioned this theory and it seemed quite plausible. It would make sense, his forgetfulness does fit as one of the symptoms of a memory charm, but I guess we will all have to wait and see, but it has definitely made me curious and I look foward to finding out in book 7 Question from April Do you read the novels that have not yet been made into films thinking about what the films of those novels will be like (e.g., "I hope I don't have to do that..." or "That sounds fun; I want to film it!") or do you completely immerse yourself in the books, forgetting about reality? Matthew That is exactly how I feel. I lose myself completely in the storyline and although I see the others as their characters (Dan, Rupert, etc.) I don't see myself as Neville and I like that because it hasn't lost it's sense of believability. Only when I have finished to I think about maybe doing the things in the book in future. Question from Kassandra Did the cast hang out together off the set? Matthew Yep, quite often. When we are on location we sometimes go out to eat or go to the cinema but even between films we meet up sometimes. James, Oliver [Phelps}, Rupert and Myself went to see Velvet Revolver and I had a trip to the US with Devon Murray. James and Oliver and myself stay in the same hotel so we always go out, to play snooker or for a meal or something Question from Gemalene Were you always a Harry Potter fan? If not, did you become a fan, and what made you want to play one of the characters? Matthew My friend lent me the first book and I was hooked, I had read the first 4 before my audition and never ever thought I would be in the film. Knowing that one was to be made was good enough for me. I didn't care what character I played I just wanted to be a part of it. Jamie: That's all we've got time for I'm afraid! MASSIVE thanks to Matt for taking the time to come and answer the questions. Any closing words Matt?
Matthew:
Jamie: |