Evanna Lynch

Evanna Lynch

Evanna Lynch in 2012
Born Evanna Patricia Lynch
(1991-08-16) 16 August 1991
Termonfeckin, County Louth, Ireland
Nationality Irish
Occupation Actress, model
Years active 2006–present
Known for Luna Lovegood in various Harry Potter movies

Evanna Patricia Lynch[1] (born 16 August 1991) is an Irish actress and model. She rose to prominence for her portrayal of Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter film series, appearing in four films and their tie-in video games. She has made fashion accessories and recorded an audiobook of "Foster" by Claire Keegan. She has also appeared in photo shoots for various magazines, and modelled for Katrin Thomas and Ciaran Sweeney.

Early life

Lynch was born in Termonfeckin, County Louth, Ireland, the daughter of Marguerite and Donal Lynch.[2] She has two older sisters, Emily and Mairead, and one younger brother, Patrick.[3] As a child, Lynch read the Harry Potter series and became a fan,[4][5] sending letters to the author, J. K. Rowling.[6] She attended Cartown National School in Termonfeckin until June 2004, and then moved to Our Lady's College in Drogheda,[2][4] where her father was the deputy principal.[7][8] In 2008, Lynch studied speculative fiction and drama at the Centre for the Talented Youth of Ireland, a summer school for gifted teens, in Glasnevin.[9][10] While on the Harry Potter set, she was tutored for at least three hours a day.[11] From September 2010, Lynch attended the Institute of Education to repeat her Leaving Certificate.[12]

Lynch has mentioned having a Catholic upbringing but no longer practices.[13]

Career

Harry Potter

Lynch credits her being cast in the Harry Potter films to the obsession she had with the Harry Potter book series. At age 11, during the release of the fifth book in 2003, she was hospitalized and her family consulted with the book's publisher and the hospital and Lynch was allowed to leave for an hour and collect a signed copy of the book.[14] While some have stated that her prior relationship with J. K. Rowling (a strictly epistolary relationship) was the reason behind the casting decision, this theory has been debunked by both Lynch and Rowling, confirming that Rowling was unaware of Lynch being cast in the role of Luna Lovegood until the producers mentioned Lynch’s name.[15] Lynch got the role by reading about the casting call on one of the many Harry Potter fan sites and going to the open audition. In 2006, Lynch auditioned at a casting call in London for the role of Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth film in the series adapted from the books.[16][17] After auditioning against 15,000 other girls,[16] and a subsequent screen test with lead actor Daniel Radcliffe, she was cast at the age of 14.[11] Producers were impressed with her affinity for the character; David Heyman said "The others could play Luna; Evanna Lynch is Luna."[18] Although uninvolved in the casting process, Rowling believed that Lynch was perfect for the role.[19] She had never acted professionally before the Harry Potter series, her experience limited to school plays.[20] Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was Lynch's debut screen performance in 2007. The film was a box office hit, taking US$938 million worldwide, and garnered generally favourable reviews.[21][22] Critics praised the performances of the supporting cast, often singling out Lynch for particular acclaim; A. O. Scott of The New York Times called her performance "spellbinding",[23] and Jane Watkins of Country Life said she "[brought] an appealing sweetness to her character that's not so developed in the book".[24] She reprised her role as Luna in the film's tie-in video game.[25]

Evanna Lynch posing for a photograph at a Half-Blood Prince DVD signing in London in December 2009.

Two years later, Lynch again starred as Luna in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth installment in the series. The film was critically and financially successful.[26][27] Wesley Morris of The Boston Globe wrote that Lynch as Luna "combats the movie's occasional sluggishness with a hilarious sluggishness of her own",[28] and Michael Dwyer of The Irish Times called her the best Irish actress of 2009 for her work on the film.[29] Her performance earned her Scream Award and Young Artist Award nominations,[30][31] and she reprised her role in the film's tie-in video game.[32]

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, the first of two films adapted from the seventh and final Harry Potter book, was released in 2010. The film was a success at the box office and drew generally favourable reviews from critics.[33][34] James Verniere of The Boston Herald commented that Luna "is still delightfully lunar,"[35] while Simon Miraudo of Quickflix criticised the film commenting that "the delightful Evanna Lynch is brutally underutilised as the loopy Luna Lovegood".[36] She reprised her role in the film's tie-in video game.[37]

Lynch again appeared as Luna in the eighth and final installment in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. The film opened to critical acclaim and went on to become the fifth highest-grossing film of all time, grossing US$1.328 billion in box-office receipts worldwide.[38][39] Moira Macdonald of The Seattle Times wrote that Lynch "continues to be all-that-and-a-radish-earring as the ever-wafting Luna Lovegood,"[40] and Roger Moore of The Orlando Sentinel named her as "maybe" one of his "favorite players in the finale."[41] She again reprised her role in the film's tie-in video game.[42] In August 2012 at Leakycon in Chicago she joined the cast of StarKid to play Luna Lovegood in a script reading of the third Harry Potter parody musical, A Very Potter Senior Year (the other two being A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel.)

The author of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling, gave a speech during the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 on 7 July 2011 in London, England. She stated that there were seven major cast members in the series, whom she referred to as The Big Seven, and she named Lynch as one of the seven members, along with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Tom Felton, Matthew Lewis, and Bonnie Wright.[43] Rowling has said that, of all the actors in the film series, Lynch has had the most influence on how her character was subsequently written. In 2012, she told Charlie Rose that when composing the final books, "I saw her. [She] got in my head. I even heard her voice when I was writing Luna."[44]

Further career

Lynch in 2011

Lynch went on to guest star as Princess Alehna (daughter of Taryn, played by Orla Brady) in the first season finale of the Sky1 television series Sinbad.[45][46]

Evanna Lynch at the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 Premiere

She was also scheduled to play Fiona Carrick-Smith in the 2013 indie crime drama film Monster Butler. The film was to have been based on the life of British serial killer and thief Archibald Hall.[45][47] The film was cancelled due to problems with funding. Lynch also starred in indie teen comedy G.B.F., which screened at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York in April 2013 and at the Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco on 30 June 2013.

In May 2013, it was announced that Lynch was to star in the British stage tour production called Houdini which performed at various theatres in the United Kingdom from 9 September 2013 to 12 October 2013. Lynch played the role of Bess Houdini, the wife and assistant of the famous magician Harry Houdini.[48]

In December 2013, it was announced that Lynch would play Theresa Bornstein in the independent crime thriller Dynamite: A Cautionary Tale. Filming for the production took place in New York City and was set to be filmed for eighteen days.[49]

In September 2014, it was announced that Lynch would star in her first lead role as the titular character in the Irish-produced film My Name Is Emily, written and directed by a man battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Filming began in Ireland that month and the film was released in 2015.[50][51]

Other work

Lynch has used the fame that she has achieved from her role in the films as a way to promote healthy self-esteem and body image in young girls because of her previous experiences with the disorder anorexia nervosa.[52] From the age of 11 Lynch was in and out of rehabilitation clinics for two years. She soon found a connection with the character of Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter book series and was inspired by the character’s embracing of her own oddities. Lynch wrote an essay entitled “Why the Body Bind is My Nightmare”[53] in which she describes her emotional struggle with her appearance and how she managed to overcome this through the use of allusions that pertain to the Harry Potter series.

Lynch has made and helped design a number of fashion accessories for the Harry Potter films.[8][54][55][56] She has modelled for Katrin Thomas and Ciaran Sweeney,[57][58][59] and in 2012 appeared on the cover of the Fall issue of Runway magazine.[60] She has also recorded an abridged audiobook version of Claire Keegan's short story "Foster".[61] Her charity work includes participation with the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland, in which she launched their MS Readathon fundraiser in 2010.[62] Lynch is also a member of the Board of Advisors for the non-profit organisation, the Harry Potter Alliance (HPA). With the HPA, she has supported same-sex marriage in Maine,[63] taken part in a webcast fundraiser,[64] written an article about body image and contributed to a fundraising book.[65] In 2015 Lynch became vegan.[66]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Luna Lovegood
2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Luna Lovegood
2010 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Luna Lovegood
2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Luna Lovegood
2012 Apex Regan Short film
2013 G.B.F. McKenzie Price
2014 It Don't Come Easy Ella Short film
2014 Dynamite: A Cautionary Tale Theresa Bornstein
2015 My Name Is Emily Emily
2015 Danny and the Human Zoo Bridget O'Riordan BBC Television Film

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2012 Sinbad Alehna 1 episode

Video games

Year Game Role
2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Luna Lovegood
2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Luna Lovegood
2010 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Luna Lovegood
2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Luna Lovegood

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2012 A Very Potter Senior Year Luna Lovegood[67] StarKid Productions
2013 Houdini Bess Houdini

Awards and nominations

Year Work Award Category Result Refs
2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Young Artist Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Scream Awards Best Supporting Actress Won [30]
2016 My Name Is Emily Irish Film and Drama Awards Actress in a Lead Role Film Nominated [68]

References

  1. ↑ "Evanna Lynch - About". Facebook. 1991-08-16. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
  2. 1 2 "Potter girl Evanna speaks only to the Drogheda Independent". Drogheda Independent. Independent News & Media. 8 February 2006. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2010. Retrieved from Internet Archive 15 February 2014.
  3. ↑ Hogan, Louise (9 July 2007). "Evanna goes Potty as big screen wins over her dad". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  4. 1 2 "Evanna let out of hospital to get Potter book". Drogheda Independent. Independent News & Media. 26 June 2003. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  5. ↑ "Luna Lovegood actress talks Potter". BBC News. 16 July 2007. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  6. ↑ "Harry Potter Actors: Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood)". CBBC Newsround. BBC. 12 July 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  7. ↑ Bray, Allison (14 July 2009). "Evanna casts a spell as stars step out for Potter". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  8. 1 2 O'Toole, Sascha (12 June 2010). "Evanna wins art prize to add to Potter magic". Evening Herald. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
  9. ↑ McDonagh, Patricia (25 July 2007). "Luna Lovegood's a wizard with words". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  10. ↑ "News – headlines". Dcu.ie. 22 March 2011. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  11. 1 2 Presenter: Ryan Tubridy (23 April 2009). "Evanna Lynch". The Tubridy Show. RTÉ Radio 1.
  12. ↑ Byrne, Andrea (28 November 2010). "Moving from Hogwarts to the Institute". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  13. ↑ Tanya Sweeney (13 July 2014). "Life after Luna: Evanna Lynch has peace and prosperity". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  14. ↑ "Evanna let out of hospital to get Potter book". The Irish Independent. 26 June 2003. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  15. ↑ Morgan Olberding (17 May 2013). "The magical lessons of Luna Lovegood: Q&A with Harry Potter's Evanna Lynch - The Western Front: Features". Westernfrontonline.net. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  16. 1 2 "Luna Lovegood role has been cast". CBBC Newsround. BBC. 2 February 2006. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  17. ↑ Buchanan, Jason (2007). "Overview of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix". Allmovie. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
  18. ↑ Battersby, Matilda (9 November 2010). "Harry Potter and the class of Hogwarts 2000". The Independent. Independent Print Limited. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  19. ↑ "Rowling bemoans paper 'shortage'". BBC News. 6 April 2006. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  20. ↑ "Accio interview! – We chat to Bonnie "Ginny" Wright and Evanna "Luna" Lynch". BBC Slink. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 23 July 2010. Retrieved from Internet Archive 16 February 2014.
  21. ↑ "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)". Box Office Mojo. Amazon.com. Retrieved 20 October 2007.
  22. ↑ "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007): Reviews". Metacritic. 11 July 2007. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  23. ↑ Scott, Anthony (10 July 2007). "Hogwarts Under Siege". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  24. ↑ Watkins, Jane (5 July 2007). "Harry Potter reviewed". Country Life. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  25. ↑ Electronic Arts (25 June 2007). Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Instruction manual. Electronic Arts.
  26. ↑ "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009): Reviews". Metacritic. 15 July 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  27. ↑ "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)". Box Office Mojo. Amazon.com. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  28. ↑ Morris, Wesley (16 July 2009). "'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' movie review". Boston Globe. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  29. ↑ Clarke, Donald; Dwyer, Michael (11 December 2009). "A year in film". The Irish Times. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  30. 1 2 "Best Supporting Actress – Scream 2009". Spike. Archived from the original on 23 January 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
  31. ↑ "Thirty-first Annual Young Artist Awards". The Young Artists Foundation. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
  32. ↑ Electronic Arts (30 June 2009). Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Instruction manual. Electronic Arts.
  33. ↑ "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I (2010): Reviews". Metacritic. 19 November 2010. Retrieved 5 December 2010.
  34. ↑ "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010)". Box Office Mojo. Amazon.com. Retrieved 5 December 2010.
  35. ↑ Verniere, James (20 November 2010). "Hollow 'Hallows'". The Boston Herald. Retrieved 5 December 2010.
  36. ↑ Miraudo, Simon (18 November 2010). "Nothing by half-measures – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One review". Quickflix. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  37. ↑ "More voices confirmed for new game". EA.com. 26 August 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  38. ↑ "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011): Reviews". Metacritic. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  39. ↑ "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011)". Box Office Mojo. Amazon.com. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  40. ↑ Macdonald, Moira (14 July 2011). "Harry Potter: 'Deathly Hallows — Part 2' brings magical spectacle to a full stop". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  41. ↑ Moore, Roger (19 July 2011). "Potter at the Oscars? The speculation begins…". The Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  42. ↑ Electronic Arts (12 July 2011). Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Instruction manual. Electronic Arts.
  43. ↑ "J.K. Rowling's Emotional Speech at the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 London Premiere". YouTube. 7 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  44. ↑ "Charlie Rose: An Hour With JK Rowling". 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  45. 1 2 Prinzivalli, Fallon (6 June 2012). "'Harry Potter' Actress Cast In 'Monster Butler'". MTV. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  46. ↑ "Evanna moves in with 'Glee' cast to launch LA career". Evening Herald. Independent News & Media. 20 January 2012. Archived from the original on 21 January 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  47. ↑ "Evanna Lynch joins cast of Monster Butler". RTÉ Ten. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 7 June 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  48. ↑ "Evanna Lynch set to star in British stage tour production of "Houdini" this fall". SnitchSeeker.com. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  49. ↑ "Evanna Lynch to star in indie crime thriller "Dynamite: A Cautionary Tale" in NYC". SnitchSeeker.com. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  50. ↑ Quigley, Maeve (10 September 2014). "Harry Potter star Evanna Lynch lands role in Irish feature film - Irish Mirror Online". Irishmirror.ie. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  51. ↑ "Filming Starts On Simon Fitzmaurice's Feature | The Irish Film & Television Network". Iftn.ie. 15 September 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  52. ↑ Jarlath Regan (21 June 2015). "Evanna Lynch". An Irishman Abroad (Podcast) (92 ed.). SoundCloud. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  53. ↑ There, Go (18 January 2011). "Why the Body Bind is My Nightmare". Thehpalliance.org. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  54. ↑ Cummins, Steve (12 October 2010). "The Insider: Evanna Lynch". Nylon. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
  55. ↑ Evanna, Lynch; Temime, Jany (2009). Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Costume Designs with Evanna Lynch (DVD). Warner Bros. Pictures.
  56. ↑ Sibley, Brian (2010). Harry Potter Film Wizardry. HarperCollins. p. 127. ISBN 0-06-199781-1.
  57. ↑ "Ponytail_2/Audition starring Evanna Lynch 001". KatrinThomas.com. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
  58. ↑ "About Ciarán". CiaranSweeney.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
  59. ↑ Nolan, Lorna (18 May 2009). "Amber breaks down in tears over secret struggle with hair loss". Evening Herald. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
  60. ↑ "Runway: Evanna Lynch". runwaylive.com. 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  61. ↑ "Afternoon Reading: Foster". BBC Radio 4. BBC. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  62. ↑ "MS READaTHON 2010 launched by Harry Potter character 'Luna Lovegood'" (DOC) (Press release). Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland. 29 August 2010. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  63. ↑ Taylor, Richie (24 October 2009). "Evanna works her magic for Harry Potter Alliance". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  64. ↑ Slack, Andrew (26 June 2010). "JK Rowling and Helping Haiti Heal!". The Harry Potter Alliance. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
  65. ↑ "Dear Mr. Potter". The Harry Potter Alliance. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  66. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/evylynchpage/photos/a.366217410081713.81093.238235589546563/919632181406897/
  67. ↑ "Team StarKid premieres 'A Very Potter Senior Year' - what we can tell you! • Hypable". Hypable.com. 16 July 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  68. ↑ 2016 IFTA Irish Film and Drama Awards Nominess

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