Matthew Lewis, the actor who plays Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter films, says he has trouble watching the movies now. Lewis starred in all eight Harry Potter films and, as the series went on, his role became more prominent. Neville Longbottom has long been the counterpart to Harry himself, with a stroke of fate separating the two. Neville was once thought to be the subject of the prophecy at the crux of the series and his life could've looked very different.
Neville Longbottom began as a nuisance of a character, but he became just as important as the rest of the cast. When Harry, Hermione, and Ron go on the run in the first Deathly Hallows film, Neville is the one who carries on Harry's legacy at Hogwarts. This all culminates in Neville wielding Godric Gryffindor's sword during the Battle of Hogwarts, beheading Voldemeort's cherished snake and the final horcrux, Nagini.
Despite all this, though, Lewis says he has trouble watching the films. Speaking to The New York Times, Lewis says he typically has no problem watching his own performances, but his early years at Hogwarts bother him because of how much of himself he sees in the performance. Lewis describes the experience of watching it as "painful." He then goes on to say that, with other films, it's easier for him to watch himself, especially if he's playing a character that doesn't really align with how he sees himself.
I find it quite difficult when too much of me starts to come through in a character. It’s easier when I can play someone completely different, like a police officer in London or someone who’s wealthy... At times it’s painful how much of me there is in Neville. When I’m watching, I’m like, ‘That’s not Neville; that’s you.’
It's not atypical for an actor to be uncomfortable watching themselves onscreen. In fact, it almost seems as if that's the rule, rather than the exception. Whether or not most actors are being modest when they say this is up for debate, but in Lewis' case it seems genuine. It also makes sense when considering the fact that, with the Harry Potter franchise, almost all of the young actors involved watched themselves grow up onscreen and so did millions of other people, with the franchise being a definitive moment for a generation of readers and moviegoers.
Lewis, like Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, all grew up while shooting the films. Their adolescence is uniquely captured on camera, awkward puberty and all. Harry Potter is one of the most popular franchises of all time and with that comes the constant reminder that fans all over the world are watching Lewis and his co-stars go through all the changes of adolescence quite frequently. It's safe to say that Harry Potter isn't really going anywhere, either, meaning Lewis will be reminded of his performance for a long time, whether he likes it or not.
Source: The New York Times
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