In a recent interview with
Pottercast (
The Leaky Cauldron's podcast), Matthew Lewis discussed how his character, Neville Longbottom, changes in the '
Order of the Phoenix' film. The full interview can be listened to by going
here.
The following is a brief summary of what he said:
- Matt says that David Yates (the director) said that the actors would know the character best and he makes them work on it to get it right. David has very vivid images of what the scenes look like and asks actors for suggestions and ideas for scenes and such, even if he (David) has the last say. Said that Neville's given a deeper role than even the fifth book says, and that there are a couple of bits put in the movie that weren't originally written. He also states that the movie is very much like the book.
- Matt says Evanna Lynch is quiet and sweet, and plays Luna Lovegood 'incredibly well'. He says that Imelda Staunton is very nice and funny and that she plays Umbridge as the nastiest person you'll see on film. Umbridge is dressed in pink all the time and looks as though she's always plotting evil yet looks sweet all the same (yet does not look like the toad described in the book).
- Matt discusses how it goes from the trio in the first four books into a sextet in the fifth. He said that it's been more of a challenge for the fifth movie because he's had more to work with and a bigger role, and says Neville rapidly changes as the fifth movie goes on. He says that he doesn't have a lot of scenes with Luna because they're not in the same classes, but there are hallways scenes with her.
- He said that the script was much shorter than the book, but was surprised that just about everything was still kept in it without anything getting confusing. He noticed that the script was concise with the book and more British than the scripts Steve Kloves wrote.
Matthew Lewis talks Neville Longbottom in OotP 
x7
I can't wait to see the movie!
I'm not going home... not really.
Can't wait!! 
*Bink*
