Exclusive: with Matthew Lewis

Victoria, whose interviews with Christian Coulson and the Phelps twins were posted here on TLC over the weekend, also spoke with Matthew Lewis at Collectormania IV and has brought it back for us!
Matthew Lewis looks nothing like Neville Longbottom in real life. A mop of curly hair above a set of very piercing eyes and, with ‘normal’ clothes he is a lot smaller and much more charming than his hapless character. Of course, you expect the brummie accent but that’s gone too.
In a very brief break from signing at 4pm on his last day Matthew is at Collectormania he is showing no signs of fatigue and is looking forward to the next batch of Harry Potter fans due at any minute he agrees to have a quick chat rather than escape for some piece and quiet “It’s my first time to an event like this and it’s been brilliant, I’ve met loads of different people from all over the world. The teenage girls have been the majority and that’s been really good.”

He is eager to show me the boxes of presents he has received over the weekend. “I got a pepper, a frog, a t-shirt from Japan, sweets and chocolates, it’s been brilliant. I’ve been signing mainly photos but also the books. I am up to about page 600 of OoTP, but someone has already told me about the prophecy, I’m looking forward to getting to that bit. If I get to be in number five it will be exciting to play Neville.”

How do you think he will cope with his new more courageous role.

“Well I think it’ll take him a while to build up to that, it’ll take a while for him to come to terms with what’s going. I would love to play him as a being a bit braver, not so much of a wimp. The character of Neville is great, he has all these great friends that support him and he supports them.”

What is it like working with Cuaron on PoA? “Very good, both him and Chris are brilliant but they are different in the way they do things but Chris is around most of the time and Alfonso is happy to confer with Chris. Prisoner is definitely darker than the previous two and a lot better. I have just finished filming, and am looking forward to a bit of a break.”

Are you thinking of any other parts at the moment, of broadening your range? “I definitely want to continue acting, we don’t get much of a break, I don’t know how Rupert managed to fit in an entire film! But I love playing Neville for the moment and I have to go to school and stuff.”

The over large man, an American version of Vernon Dursley is lumbering into view, he is rather unhappy that I am holding up the queue (due to the virtual queuing system there isn’t one and erm, Matthew is on a break) but I get the hint, thank Matthew and leave him to prepare for the next onslaught…