Biography for Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood)

Date of Birth

16 August 1991, Termonfeckin, Ireland

Birth Name

Evanna Meghan Naomi Lynch

Nickname

Ev

Evy

Eva

Height

5' (1.52 m)

Evanna Lynch is from Termonfeckin, County Louth, Ireland. She lives with her father Donald, mother Marguerite, elder sisters Máiréad and Emily, and younger brother Patrick.

Her father flew her to London to the open audition for the part of Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007). Her mother did not believe she had much of a chance of winning the role so initially refused to let her apply. However,  on January 23rd 2006, she discovered she had beaten out over 15,000 girls, from all over the United Kingdom and Eire, for the much coveted role of Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007). However, as Lynch has naturally dark brown hair, her hair had to be bleached light blonde for the role of Luna. On set Lynch became very good friends with fellow actresses Bonnie Wright (who plays Ginny Weasley), Katie Leung (Cho Chang) and Afshan Azad (who plays Padma Patil).

She was a fan of the Harry Potter novels long before being cast in the films. She claims to have read the books several times. As a younger child, she continuously wrote to JK Rowling and, in one such letter, commented about how much she would love to act in a Harry Potter film but doubted this would happen as she lived in this sleepy little place called Termonfeckin, where nothing ever happened. And to Evanna's surprise, Rowling wrote back, "Don't be too hard on Termonfeckin; it does have a brilliant name! And I come from a very sleepy place."

Lynch plays the character of Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. The character first appears in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth book, in which she is described as looking like an embodiment of dottiness, with her wand tucked behind her left ear for safekeeping, orange radish earrings (which are actually Dirigible Plums which, in the words of Xenophilius Lovegood, "enhance the ability to accept the extraordinary."), and a necklace made of butterbeer corks.

Rowling has often said that Luna is the "anti-Hermione," as Luna believes things on faith alone while Hermione grounds her views on facts and logic. Hermione repeatedly tries to convince Luna that her beliefs are nonsense, but to no avail. This is not to suggest that Luna is unintelligent; indeed, as a Ravenclaw it is her belief that "wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure." Hermione sees Luna as gullible whereas Luna views Hermione as narrow-minded. Despite their different views, Luna comforts Hermione after Ron mocks her in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

She is a cat-lover who owns a cat named Luna. When Luna has kittens, she named one of them Dumbledore. Her other cat Crookshanks died in 2006. She is also a vegetarian. Since the release of the film, she has received many positive reviews, being called one of the true "standouts" of the film.