Despite the franchise ending back in 2011, the Harry Potter movies are still a vital part of the pop culture landscape. Plenty of fans re-watch these projects annually (streaming with a Max subscription), including some of the Harry Potter actors themselves. Case in point: Luna Lovegood actress Evanna Lynch hilariously forgot she was in the franchise while watching Prisoner Of Azkaban, even being quoted saying "I want to be a part of that world." Luckily she is.
Evanna Lynch debuted as Luna in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and would reprise that role for the rest of the franchise's run in theaters. She and the cast reunited for the Return to Hogwarts special, and it's clear that the Lynch is still a big fan of the franchise. During a recent interview with CNET, she admitted that she kinda forgot she was in the universe while re-watching the third movie, The Prisoner of Azkaban. As she put it:
I don't watch the films as it's too emotional, but recently, Prisoner of Azkaban was on and my partner and I started passively watching it, and I had that strong feeling of, ‘I want to be part of that world,’ and then remembered, ‘Oh, I already am!’ The fans have kept that world very alive in my life. I continue to try to find that sense of belonging in other communities, but none have proved quite so profound a match yet. So yes, I'll always be happy to be a familiar face in the Harry Potter world.
Comments like these prove that Lynch was always the perfect actress to play Luna Lovegood. She's a super fan of the Wizarding World, and forgetting she was a supporting character in the franchise feels like something Luna would do.
Luna didn't come into the fold until the fifth movie/book of the Harry Potter franchise, but she definitely made an impact. On top of being a somewhat spacey Ravenclaw, she would become a member of the Dumbledore's Army, and do battle with Death Eaters from a relatively young age.
Later in that same interview, the 33 year-old actress spoke about her ongoing love for the Wizarding World, apart from her time playing Luna. In her words:
It's a safe place for me. Perhaps there is a slightly regressive instinct there, returning to my childhood comforts… But it goes deeper, too. The feeling of belonging in a room has always been an elusive one for me. So then there is the Harry Potter world, where I have been not just accepted but embraced and celebrated, so it is an enormous privilege to have that warmth and familiarity to step into. Not every quirky kid finds that lifelong community.
In the years since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 hit theaters, Lynch has never really been far from the fantasy series. That includes when Evanna Lynch defended J.K. Rowling in the midst of the author's controversies, where some fans have decided to boycott the franchise they formerly adored.
Some fans are wondering of Lynch and the rest of the Harry Potter cast might reunite down the line for a movie of The Cursed Child plays. While Luna isn't in the stage version, perhaps that could change for the a movie adaptation. Only time will tell.
The Harry Potter franchise is streaming now on Max, which will also be the home of the developing Potter TV series. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.
