A new Harry Potter series is in the works, and they’re currently holding open and diverse casting calls. While we eagerly await this new project, Saoirse Ronan‘s recent comments have taken us down memory lane, allowing us to reflect fondly on the original cast of the Harry Potter films.
The Irish star was not among the stellar cast, but she did want to be, and in an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, she reflected on how she had auditioned for the part of Luna Lovegood. “There’s things that you’ll pass on, and then they come out, and you think, ‘Oh God, that was a misstep on my part,’” Ronan said of the roles she still ponders. “I think the one that stayed with me over the years — I didn’t say no to it, I just didn’t get the part. I lost, again. It’s a running theme for me.”
The actress recalled how she had auditioned for the role of Luna Lovegood because she is an Irish character (and Ronan, despite her impressive ability to mimic accents in the films she stars in, grew up in Dublin). “So they got everyone Irish in — like half of Ireland to come and audition — and I knew I wasn’t going to get it ’cause I was too young, but I got to read out a scene that was gonna be in Harry Potter, and it was the coolest thing ever,” she reflected.
Saoirse Ronan lost out on the role of Luna Lovegood in the original ‘Harry Potter’ films
So, who did the part go to in the end? It was awarded to Evanna Lynch, a newcomer who first appeared in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and then the subsequent three Harry Potter films (until the franchise’s completion). It is also worth noting that Ronan was just nine during the audition, whereas Lynch was 12.
Ultimately, it worked out as it should because it is hard to imagine anyone other than Lynch taking on the part of the quirky, nonconformist witch. Still, the role did not turn the actress into an A-lister like many may have initially thought it would. Despite the initial fame from her appearance in Harry Potter, Lynch has been honest about her struggles to secure acting jobs after the role (a role she fully believes she manifested because she told the Talking Tastebuds podcast she was a “really obsessive Harry Potter fan”).
“I think I over blew it, I think of thought, great this is me set for life, this is my career. I didn’t think it would be as hard to be an actor as it actually is,” she admitted. “And I noticed a lot of fans have that same reaction to me. Sometimes I’ll meet them at conventions and at plays, and I’ll meet them after that and they’ll be like, ‘why are not you doing blockbuster movies’ and I’m like, ‘yeah, why am I not? I don’t know, I just didn’t feel like it, that’s all.’ They have no concept of how cutthroat the industry is.”
As for Ronan, she has had an enviable career with some of her film credits, including Hanna, Brooklyn, and The Lovely Bones, and she continues to impress with her undeniable star quality.
Published: Oct 8, 2024 04:16 pm