Harry Potter cast at Universal Orlando Resort's A Celebration of Harry Potter tribute
Harry Potter actors Evanna Lynch, Matthew Lewis, Devon Murray, Mark Williams, and James and Oliver Phelps, as well as reps for Scholastic and Warner Bros., took part in Friday night's Harry Potter Tribute at Universal Orlando Resort's A Celebration of Harry Potter. The six actors in attendance spoke about their times filming the series, as well as a few highlights which can be read and seen below. SnitchSeeker is at A Celebration of Harry Potter and will continue to update our social media with upcoming panels this coming Sunday. Quote: How were you feeling when you read that you would personally destroy Nagini?
Matthew Lewis: I remember reading the book very vividly and getting to that section of the story and just thinking, "Wow, that is going to be incredible. What a responsibility that Jo Rowling has laid on me." So you read it in the book and you think, "Is it going to be in the script? Are we really going to film it?" And, "Is it going to be in the final cut?" It got through all four of those stages. It was incredibly. I never expected anything like that to happen to Neville so it was pretty special. It was a really nice moment. It's the culmination of his entire journey. It's Neville's moment and I was really glad we took the time to really nail that scene. What was it like growing up on the set?
Matthew: We had such a good time together on those films. Mark Williams: Apart from when you all were about 15 or 16 and used to sit on the set with your blackberries and stuff just going (mimics texting). We'd go, "Hello!" and you'd go "Mmm" (without looking up). Matthew: I still do that now. If you had a choice, what Hogwarts class would you teach?
Matthew: Well it's got to be Defense Against the Dark Arts, hasn't it? That's the class that I'd most like to attend. Professor Lupin was my favorite teacher. What was your first scene that you filmed and what was your last you filmed in the movies?
Matthew: In the first film the first scene I did was when Neville got on the broomstick in the very first movie and it all went wrong. I was like 11 years old, absolutely terrified, and Chris Columbus took me aside and went, "No pressure, but this scene's all about you." So that was the 'into the deep end' start for me, but it was great doing all those kinds of stunts when you're 11 years old - like being on a roller coaster. It was so much fun. The actual final scene I did was on the courtyard. I remember ... well, you weren't there (to James Phelps, who stares back) Everyone else was there. (audience laughs) Too soon? (to James). It was a great finish to do that scene last. That whole moment for Neville, to go out on that high was wonderful.
What would your boggart be?
Matthew: I'm pretty scared of spiders. I know it's cliche, but they're the single most terrifying thing on the earth. I live in quite an old house and there's little holes and dark places where they can hide They've trapped me in my kitchen for hours before. They smell fear. They know. A samurai sword ... I'll grab anything I can to try and take care of it. They terrify me. James Phelps: You have a samurai sword in your house? Matthew: Yeah, man. Did you pull any pranks on the set?
James Phelps: Yes. What were your favorites?
James: Some we can't say for legal reasons. I'll tell you one we did on Matt once.Matt fell asleep in front of the TV in one of the dressing rooms he just happened to be playing Battlefield on, which is a computer game where you shoot people. So we turned the volume up to 100 percent and fired a few rounds off. What was your reaction when you found out about Fred in the final book?
James: When I first read it, I was in Japan travelling on the bullet train. I read what happened to Fred and I was a bit ... it was like reading that your best friend had been killed. It was quite a surreal moment. That feeling affected me even more than reading what it was. I was a bit somber. As I'm doing that, the ticket inspector came around. I don't speak Japanese. He didn't speak English. I was like (indicates book), "I just died here." Which of the directors influenced you the most?
James: They all have. Chris Columbus gave us our big break. Alfonso [Cuaron] got us really into the characters. So much so he helped the characters really cut each other up. Mike Newell's just a hell of a good guy to work with. Very funny. He let me keep my long hair. And then David [Yates], the last on board, he really got you on the emotional side of the character. If you could cast any spell, which one would it be?
James: It's not really a spell, it's just something that's in it. I think it would be a portkey. I'm sure for you guys who've been stuck in immigration in this country, right? And the flight as well, I could just pop off. What was your favorite scene to film?
Oliver Phelps: Well, that scene [where George interrupts Harry and GInny's kiss] is pretty cool because I was a horrible, horrible brother to do that. But also, the World Cup scene, as well. When we did that, that was really, really cool. I think because we could just be ourselves like at a football game. Just shouting, "C'mon!" and get into it. If you're given the choice to avoid traffic ... would you choose a Nimbus 2000, apparition or a flying Ford Anglia?
Oliver Phelps: I wouldn't choose a Ford Anglia. The main reason is when we were filming we had Hedwig in the back with us. It looks cute and everything but owls go to the toilet quite often, and this owl must've eaten quite a lot. the whole back of the car was just covered in bird poo. Did it get you?
Oliver: It may have. It's the reason I won't get in a Ford Anglia again. I'd probably get the Nimbus 2000 ... I mean the Firebolt would be better. But, yes, a broomstick because you could get around a lot quicker and it's easy to park as well.
What would your patronus be if you could choose one?
Oliver: It would probably be a panda. I'm a bit chilled back like that. Chewing on bamboo, then I'd just be asleep. What was your casting process like?
Devon Murray: My casting process was actually kind of funny, As most people know, I am dyslexic, and I didn't read Harry Potter before my audition. So I got a phone call off my agent saying, "You've got to go audition over in the UK." So, I'm thinking, "Sweet." So they say, "Your going over to meet Harry Potter." So I flew over and the director comes over and I say, "Hi, Harry, how're you?" Everyone's like, "Er, what are you talking about? This is Chris Columbus, the director." "Oh, my bad" We heard you have a rather awesome achievement for breaking the most prop wands?
Devon: Okay, well, the wands, that's all Matthew Lewis' fault - because in the first Harry Potter film Neville comes in and has the leg-locker curse. Seamus goes over and he's like, "Neville, I can sort that out for you." And Neville's like, "If I let you do it, you'll blow my bloody kneecaps off." Seamus gets really, really angry. He gets his wand and he slams it on the table and storms off. Well, every time I slammed the wand on the table, I broke it because they're really thin. James Phelps I only broke one wand. Devon: Only one? (Matt Lewis holds up one finger, indicating he only broke one as well.) I broke like twenty in one day. I'm definitely like Seamus in real life. I'm clumsy. I blew up my microwave twice. What was it like having all those explosions in your face?
Devon: It was kind of cool. My very first explosion was on the first movie with Professor Flitwick. It was on my thirteenth birthday. They have to use special bulbs. They were the old-fashioned cameras that have one flash. They used twenty or thirty bulbs to get the light for the explosion. That was cool - the problem was because they had so many and they kept actually blowing up, so actual glass was smashing and flying everywhere. You're trying to dodge all the shards of glass. Did you feel a sense of loyalty to your fellow Gryffindor classmates?
Devon: On the set, everybody was just best mates. You wouldn't say, "Oh, I'm not going to hang out with Tom or Jamie or anyone like that because they're in Slytherin." In the movie, I always thought that Seamus should have been an undercover spy for Slytherin. I always thought Seamus should run back to Draco Malfoy and say, "Come here. This is what they're all doing over there." I just thought that from the very beginning. Mark Williams: It's all coming out now. Blowing up Slytherin's microwave. What would your House be?
Devon: For me, it would probably be Slytherin. I'm ambitious. Everything I do, I want to be doing it the best. I think that's very much like Slytherin. That's one of their things, isn't it? (Evanna Lynch shakes her head no.) Really? I don't know anything. What was it like playing the patriarch of the Weasley family? Did you find yourself giving fatherly advice on and off the screen?
Mark Williams: When we did Goblet of Fire, everyone was young. It was a laugh. So mostly it was like, "Shut up!" Bonnie was just bobbing to music (mimics her). Are you like Mr. Weasley in real life?
Mark: Tragically, yes. I tend toward enthusiasm as a first choice. A default option. "Brilliant!" And I'm nosy, really. What is the function of a rubber duck? Well, amusement clearly. Employment for rubber duck makers. Yellow paint testing. If you were one of the students, which character would you like to play?
Mark: That's a very difficult question. I wouldn't answer that really because ....as a patriarchal figure, I can see fantastic things in all of them. But I used to love watching them do stuff. At one point, when Neville walks out from the line at the last battle and Seamus goes, "Stand down, Neville!" That was a great memory, I loved that. And my daughter does a great impersonation of Luna going, "They're nargles, Harry." It's all a great big rich mixture of great amusement and young people stuff. Do you have any favorite magical artifacts?
Mark: Yeah, I do. The clock, which is just a whole image to me of the quality and care and excitement of being on a set like that with a clock that's got hands that actually the finger pieces are scissors with a picture of each of the family in it and you knew where they were. The great one was 'in mortal peril.' "Oh quick! In mortal peril!" Me and Julie [Walters] would be like, "Mommy! Mortal peril!"
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