As much as I love Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood is by far my favorite fantasy witch in Harry Potter . Sure, her character is very weird in the books, but actress Evanna Lynch plays Luna on screen so magically that you feel like Hogwarts might be real. Charming, quirky, soft-spoken, not to mention adorable, in all the Harry Potter films, the Irish actress captures the idea that makes Luna Lovegood so endearing: No matter what, you should always be yourself. Even though the last Harry Potter movie premiered five years ago (feeling old yet?), Lynch is still carrying on the Luna spirit in real life.
Now 24, she's still working on her acting career, but these days her main focus is helping others and spreading awareness. Lynch, who has struggled with an eating disorder since she was 11 years old, has used her fame to promote healthy body image and recovery, self-love and self-improvement. Her Instagram feed is filled with messages of hope and inspiration; the type Luna from the Harry Potter series might have had. So what has Lynch been doing in the five years since Deathly Hallows and leaving the character of Luna behind? She's basically the Muggle version of the lovable, creative, and extremely weird Lovegood, spreading a message of hope and self-love.
She is still acting
After "Harry Potter ," Lynch's career calmed down a bit. She's had roles in several films, but in 2013 she took her talents to the stage for another magical production: in her friend Stuart Brennan's production of Houdini (Houdini ), playing Bess Houdini, the wife and stage assistant of the notorious magician Harry. During her time playing Beth, she told the Irish Post that she "always wanted to be on stage. Always". Is that Snape I hear?
she loves her cat
According to her Instagram bio, she aspires to be one of them. Her cat, aptly named "Lil Puff," is almost inappropriately cute.
She promotes healthy body image and self-love
Lynch, who has struggled with self-esteem issues and eating disorders, provides a positive, open-minded inspiration to young women and girls, encouraging them to take time to work on their own journeys, overcome their insecurities, and learn to have confidence in themselves.
What's amazing about real life is that before Lynch even auditioned for the role of Luna, she wrote a letter to J.K. Rowling at the age of 11, asking for help in hopes of overcoming anorexia. She told The Sun ,
I told how I respected her. She wrote back, like a counselor. She taught me that anorexia was destructive, not creative, and that the brave thing was not to give in to it. I told her I would love to be in a movie and she was encouraging but said I needed to be in good health to do so. In the end I think that's why I recovered.
Further proof that Rowling is a truly good witch.
she likes reading
Lynch is a bibliophile and often posts the books she's currently reading on Instagram if you need some recommendations. She was holding a beautiful Nabokov book.
she teaches yoga
Lynch admits Los Angeles changed her so much that she became a certified yoga teacher! Although she joked in an interview with the Irish Independent , "The funny thing is, I've been told that it's harder to be a yoga teacher in Los Angeles than it is in Hollywood." I believe that. There must be hundreds!
She works with UNICEF
Bless you, Luna. Lynch is using her Harry Potter fame to do good. Not only does she advocate for healthy body image, she also works with UNICEF. In 2014, she traveled to the Philippines to help rebuild from the devastating effects of Typhoon Haiyan, and was surprised when she was often recognized there as Luna Lovegood.
she is vegetarian
When Lynch moved from London to Los Angeles, she stopped eating meat—it was a relaxed, fresh-squeezed juice lifestyle coupled with Lynch's passion for ending animal cruelty and unsustainable agriculture. Lynch told The Irish Times she could no longer bear to eat animals because she loved them so much. She was a vegetarian in Los Angeles but became a vegetarian when she returned to her mother's house in Louth because vegetarian options were limited. Plus, she can't resist her mom's pastries.
She's still friends with the Harry Potter actor
Of course, friends at Hogwarts are friends forever.
she still loves luna
Who wouldn't? In a recent Instagram post, Lynch talked about looking back at who she was when she auditioned and how she's grown. In a candid Q&A with Western Front in 2013, Lynch discussed being an anti-bullying spokesperson and said she was inspired by Luna:
This was important to me because she helped me overcome my shyness. I've always been more artsy and weird, and Luna is like that. Seeing her in the book helped me grow and overcome this. While playing her, I realized I had to live by these values and I wanted to do justice to the character. I want to live like that.
I love you, Evanna Lynch! poetry. If you read this, I hope you know that I think Luna and Harry should end up together.
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures
