Evanna Lynch
Encyclopedia
Evanna Patricia Lynch is an Irish actress who rose to prominence playing Luna Lovegood, a supporting role in the Harry Potter film series adapted from the book series of the same name
. Lynch was cast as Luna at the age of 14, having previously acted only in school plays. From 2007 to 2011, she appeared in four Harry Potter films and their tie-in video games.
Besides acting, Lynch has made and helped design fashion accessories and recorded an audiobook. She is also a member of the Board of Advisors for the non-profit organization
, the Harry Potter Alliance (HPA).
townland of County Louth
, Ireland to Marguerite and Donal Lynch. One of a family of six, she has two sisters, Emily and Mairead, and one brother, Patrick. As a child, Lynch read the Harry Potter
series and became a fan, sending letters to the author, J. K. Rowling
. For two years from the age of 11, Lynch suffered from anorexia
. During this time, Rowling sent her letters of encouragement; Lynch has described her as being "like a counsellor".
Lynch attended Cartown National School, a public primary school in Termonfeckin, until June 2004 and then moved to Our Lady's College
, a Catholic school
for girls, in Drogheda
, County Louth, where her father was the deputy principal. 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
, Dublin. While on the Harry Potter set, she was tutored for at least three hours a day. From September 2010, Lynch attended the Institute of Education
to repeat her Leaving Certificate
.
, the fifth film in the series adapted from the books. After auditioning against 15,000 other girls, and a subsequent screen test with lead actor Daniel Radcliffe
, she was cast at the age of 14. Producers were impressed with her affinity for the character; David Heyman
said "The others could play Luna; Evanna Lynch is Luna." Although uninvolved in the casting process, Rowling believed that Lynch was perfect for the role. She had never acted professionally before the Harry Potter series, her experience limited to school plays.
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 favorable reviews. 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", and Jane Watkins of Country Life
said she "[brought] an appealing sweetness to her character that's not so developed in the book". She reprised her role as Luna in the film's tie-in video game
.
Two years later, Lynch again starred as Luna in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
, the sixth instalment in the series. The film was critically and financially successful. Wesley Morris
of The Boston Globe
wrote that Lynch as Luna "combats the movie’s occasional sluggishness with a hilarious sluggishness of her own", and Michael Dwyer
of The Irish Times
called her the best Irish actress of 2009 for her work on the film. Her performance earned her Scream Award and Young Artist Award
nominations, and she again reprised her role in the film's tie-in video game
.
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 favorable reviews from critics. James Verniere of The Boston Herald commented that Luna "is still delightfully lunar," while Simon Miraudo of Quickflix
criticised the film commenting that "the delightful Evanna Lynch is brutally underutilised as the loopy Luna Lovegood". She again reprised her role in the film's tie-in video game.
The following year, Lynch again appeared as Luna in the eighth and final instalment in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
. The film opened to universal critical acclaim and went on to become the third highest-grossing film of all time, grossing US$
1.325 billion in box-office receipts worldwide. Moira Macdonald of The Seattle Times
wrote that Lynch "continues to be all-that-and-a-radish-earring as the ever-wafting Luna Lovegood," and Roger Moore of The Orlando Sentinel
named her as "maybe" one of his "favorite players in the finale." She again reprised her role in the film's tie-in video game
.
's short story Foster.
Her charity work includes participation with the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland, in which she launched their MS Readathon
fundraiser in 2010. Lynch is also a member of the Board of Advisors for the non-profit organization
, the Harry Potter Alliance (HPA). With the HPA, she has supported same-sex marriage in Maine
, took part in a webcast
fundraiser, written an article about body image, and contributed to a fundraising book.
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
. Lynch was cast as Luna at the age of 14, having previously acted only in school plays. From 2007 to 2011, she appeared in four Harry Potter films and their tie-in video games.
Besides acting, Lynch has made and helped design fashion accessories and recorded an audiobook. She is also a member of the Board of Advisors for the non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
, the Harry Potter Alliance (HPA).
Early life and education
Lynch was born in the TermonfeckinTermonfeckin
Termonfeckin or Termonfechin is a small village and townland in County Louth, Ireland. It is within the parish of the same name, and lies north-east of Drogheda. The population of the village was 653 as per census 2006.-History:...
townland of County Louth
County Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland to Marguerite and Donal Lynch. One of a family of six, she has two sisters, Emily and Mairead, and one brother, Patrick. As a child, Lynch read the Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series and became a fan, sending letters to the author, J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling
Joanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE , better known as J. K. Rowling, is the British author of the Harry Potter fantasy series...
. For two years from the age of 11, Lynch suffered from anorexia
Anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a healthy body weight and an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Although commonly called "anorexia", that term on its own denotes any symptomatic loss of appetite and is not strictly accurate...
. During this time, Rowling sent her letters of encouragement; Lynch has described her as being "like a counsellor".
Lynch attended Cartown National School, a public primary school in Termonfeckin, until June 2004 and then moved to Our Lady's College
Our Lady's College, Greenhills
Our Lady's College, Greenhills is a Roman Catholic all-girls college located in Greenhills, Drogheda, County Louth, in the Republic of Ireland. The College is run under the auspices of the Presentation Sisters.-History:...
, a Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
for girls, in Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
, County Louth, where her father was the deputy principal. In 2008, Lynch studied speculative fiction and drama at the Centre for the Talented Youth of Ireland
Centre for the Talented Youth of Ireland
The Centre for the Talented Youth of Ireland is a youth programme for students between the ages of six and sixteen of high academic ability in Ireland....
, a summer school
Summer school
Summer school is a school, or a program generally sponsored by a school or a school district, that teaches students during the summer vacation....
for gifted
Intellectual giftedness
Intellectual giftedness is an intellectual ability significantly higher than average. It is different from a skill, in that skills are learned or acquired behaviors...
teens, in Glasnevin
Glasnevin
Glasnevin is a largely residential neighbourhood of Dublin, Ireland.-Geography:A mainly residential neighbourhood, it is located on the Northside of the city of Dublin . It was originally established on the northern bank of the River Tolka...
, Dublin. While on the Harry Potter set, she was tutored for at least three hours a day. From September 2010, Lynch attended the Institute of Education
Institute of Education (Dublin)
The Institute of Education was founded in 1969 by Irish applied mathematics school teacher, Raymond Kearns, and is currently one of the largest private secondary schools in Ireland. Unlike most other Irish secondary schools, the Institute only provides tuition for the final two years of the...
to repeat her Leaving Certificate
Leaving Certificate
The Leaving Certificate Examinations , commonly referred to as the Leaving Cert is the final examination in the Irish secondary school system. It takes a minimum of two years preparation, but an optional Transition Year means that for those students it takes place three years after the Junior...
.
Career
In 2006, Lynch auditioned at a casting call in London for the role of Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fifth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Michael Goldenberg and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
, the fifth film in the series adapted from the books. After auditioning against 15,000 other girls, and a subsequent screen test with lead actor Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Jacob Radcliffe is an English actor who rose to prominence playing the titular character in the Harry Potter film series....
, she was cast at the age of 14. Producers were impressed with her affinity for the character; David Heyman
David Heyman
David Jonathan Heyman is a British film producer and the founder of Heyday Films. He obtained the film rights to the Harry Potter series in 1999 and has produced all eight installments in the series of films.-Life and career:...
said "The others could play Luna; Evanna Lynch is Luna." Although uninvolved in the casting process, Rowling believed that Lynch was perfect for the role. She had never acted professionally before the Harry Potter series, her experience limited to school plays.
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$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
938 million worldwide, and garnered generally favorable reviews. Critics praised the performances of the supporting cast, often singling out Lynch for particular acclaim; A. O. Scott
A. O. Scott
Anthony Oliver Scott, known as A. O. Scott , is an American journalist and critic. He is a chief film critic for The New York Times, along with Manohla Dargis.-Background and education:...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called her performance "spellbinding", and Jane Watkins of Country Life
Country Life (magazine)
Country Life is a British weekly magazine, based in London at 110 Southwark Street, and owned by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.- Topics :The magazine covers the pleasures and joys of rural life, as well as the concerns of rural people...
said she "[brought] an appealing sweetness to her character that's not so developed in the book". She reprised her role as Luna in the film's tie-in video game
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a video game that is based on the fifth instalment of the popular Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling and the film of the same name, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PSP, Nintendo DS, Wii, Game Boy Advance and Mac OS X...
.
Two years later, Lynch again starred as Luna in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
, the sixth instalment in the series. The film was critically and financially successful. Wesley Morris
Wesley Morris
Wesley Morris is a film critic at The Boston Globe where he reviews films alongside Ty Burr. Morris and Burr also make regular appearances on NECN to discuss the latest films and do the weekly Take Two film review video series on Boston.com...
of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
wrote that Lynch as Luna "combats the movie’s occasional sluggishness with a hilarious sluggishness of her own", and Michael Dwyer
Michael Dwyer (journalist)
Michael Dwyer was an Irish journalist and film critic who wrote for The Irish Times for more than 20 years...
of The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
called her the best Irish actress of 2009 for her work on the film. Her performance earned her Scream Award and Young Artist Award
Young Artist Award
The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist...
nominations, and she again reprised her role in the film's tie-in video game
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a video game, developed by EA's Bright Light Studio and published by Electronic Arts. The game was released on June 30, 2009 to coincide with the film's new mid-2009 release date. The game was released on the, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, Wii,...
.
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 favorable reviews from critics. James Verniere of The Boston Herald commented that Luna "is still delightfully lunar," while Simon Miraudo of Quickflix
Quickflix
Quickflix is a service offering online DVD and Blu-ray disc rental-by-mail in Australia , as well as instant streaming. Established in 2003 and headquartered in Sydney, NSW, it has amassed a collection of more than 50,000 titles and over 80,000 subscribers.-Disc rental:The company provides a...
criticised the film commenting that "the delightful Evanna Lynch is brutally underutilised as the loopy Luna Lovegood". She again reprised her role in the film's tie-in video game.
The following year, Lynch again appeared as Luna in the eighth and final instalment in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is a 2011 epic fantasy film directed by David Yates and the second of two films based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the eighth and final instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David...
. The film opened to universal critical acclaim and went on to become the third highest-grossing film of all time, grossing US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1.325 billion in box-office receipts worldwide. Moira Macdonald of The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times is a newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, US. It is the largest daily newspaper in the state of Washington. It has been, since the demise in 2009 of the printed version of the rival Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle's only major daily print newspaper.-History:The Seattle Times...
wrote that Lynch "continues to be all-that-and-a-radish-earring as the ever-wafting Luna Lovegood," and Roger Moore of The Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
named her as "maybe" one of his "favorite players in the finale." She again reprised her role in the film's tie-in video game
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (video game)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is the second part of a two-part third-person shooter video game developed by EA Bright Light and published by Electronic Arts...
.
Other work
Lynch has made and helped design a number of fashion accessories for the Harry Potter films, and modeled for Katrin Thomas and Ciaran Sweeney. She has also recorded an abridged audiobook version of Claire KeeganClaire Keegan
Claire Keegan is an Irish short story writer. She was born in County Wicklow in 1968, the youngest of a large Roman Catholic family. She travelled to New Orleans, Louisiana when she was seventeen and studied English and Political Science at Loyola University...
's short story Foster.
Her charity work includes participation with the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland, in which she launched their MS Readathon
MS Readathon
The MS Readathon is an annual sponsored read held by the MS Societies in Australia, Ireland and Canada.- Australia :The MS Readathon run by MS Australia started in 1979 and is Australia’s premier reading-based fundraiser...
fundraiser in 2010. Lynch is also a member of the Board of Advisors for the non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
, the Harry Potter Alliance (HPA). With the HPA, she has supported same-sex marriage in Maine
Same-sex marriage in Maine
Same-sex marriage in Maine is currently unrecognized. A bill to allow same-sex marriages in Maine was signed into law on May 6, 2009, by Governor Baldacci following legislative approval, but opponents successfully petitioned for a referendum on the issue, putting the law on hold before it went into...
, took part in a webcast
Webcast
A webcast is a media presentation distributed over the Internet using streaming media technology to distribute a single content source to many simultaneous listeners/viewers. A webcast may either be distributed live or on demand...
fundraiser, written an article about body image, and contributed to a fundraising book.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fifth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Michael Goldenberg and produced by David Heyman and David Barron... |
Luna Lovegood | |
| 2009 | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman and David Barron... |
Luna Lovegood | Nominated — Scream Award for Best Supporting Actress Scream Awards The Scream Awards is an award show dedicated to the horror, sci-fi, and fantasy genres of feature films. Originally only having Scream Queen and Heroic Performance awards for actors, the personnel awards have expanded to include actors and actresses of all three recognized genres. In addition,... Nominated — Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actress |
| 2010 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 | Luna Lovegood | |
| 2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 | Luna Lovegood |
| Year | Game | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a video game that is based on the fifth instalment of the popular Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling and the film of the same name, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PSP, Nintendo DS, Wii, Game Boy Advance and Mac OS X... |
Luna Lovegood |
| 2009 | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a video game, developed by EA's Bright Light Studio and published by Electronic Arts. The game was released on June 30, 2009 to coincide with the film's new mid-2009 release date. The game was released on the, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, Wii,... |
Luna Lovegood |
| 2010 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 | Luna Lovegood |
| 2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 | Luna Lovegood |