Evanna Lynch to Headline World’s Largest Vegan Festival, Discusses Her Eating Disorder on “The One Show”
The Harry Potter films‘ Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) will be headlining the world’s largest vegan festival this summer, and she has recently spoken about how finding the Harry Potter books amid an eating disorder that began prior to her playing Luna changed her life.
According to an article from Plant Based News, Lynch will be headlining the sixth Vegan Camp Out this coming July. Vegan Camp Out 2022 will take place at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire, England, from Friday, July 15, to Monday, July 18, 2022. Earthling Ed, a vegan educator and public speaker from the United Kingdom, will also headline the event, while additional special guests include “RuPaul Drag Race UK’s ‘plant-based princess’ Bimini Bon Boulash and grime artist JME.”
More information about Vegan Camp Out 2022 can be found on its website. Tickets can also be purchased online, and the Weekend Pass (16+) + Camping is available for £75.00, or about $100.00 (US).
Additionally, Lynch appeared on BBC One’s The One Show earlier this week, where she discussed her eating disorder and how the Harry Potter series helped her cope with the challenges she faced. The show’s Twitter account also shared a video clip of Lynch discussing the topic.
Actor Evanna Lynch – best known as Luna Lovegood from the much-loved Harry Potter movies – reveals how JK Rowling’s books helped her recover from her eating disorder.
Stream #TheOneShow on @BBCiPlayer here 👉 https://t.co/X48X41orDY pic.twitter.com/5Glx4K9yXG
— BBC The One Show (@BBCTheOneShow) December 8, 2021
Lynch spoke about the time around which her disordered eating began, explaining that it happened when she was around 11 years old.
I really had that sense at around age 11 of, like, ‘Who am I? What am I doing here? What is my worth?’ Like, these big questions. At that age, I really didn’t accept myself. In fact, I hated myself. You can latch on to toxic things that are not healthy for you.
She then found the Harry Potter books, noting that they “grabbed [her] heart.”
The ‘Harry Potter’ books, for some reason, just grabbed my heart and made me love being alive. They were so beautiful, so enchanting, and it was the only thing that took my mind off eating and exercise.
Lynch also described what it was like to play Luna and the influence that the character had on her.
Luna Lovegood was a very positive influence on my life because she was so still and so present and so self-accepting.
Finally, she spoke about her memoir, The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting, released in October. She noted that she hopes it will help others in understanding eating disorders better.
I really hope the book will offer support to parents and families of people with eating disorders to show that eating disorders can happen to anyone, and if you can appreciate yourself and how your body will evolve, focus on self-worth. Focus every day on getting strong.
A disclaimer below the video from The One Show adds that those seeking help for issues discussed in it can visit BBC Action Line. Similarly, those in the United States can contact the National Eating Disorders Association’s NEDA Helpline.