‘Potter’ star Evanna Lynch shares Alan Rickman’s life-changing advice in tribute

MANILA, Philippines – Many of Alan Rickman’s Harry Potter co-stars have shared their stories and fond memories about the late actor, and on Friday, January 15, Evanna Lynch spoke about her own encounters with the veteran actor. (READ: British actor Alan Rickman dies)

Evanna, who played Luna Lovegood in the films, said that she wasn’t able to spend much time with Alan at first. On set, she saw him as the mean Potions professor, Severus Snape, and gave him plenty of space. (READ: JK Rowling, ‘Harry Potter’ cast remember Alan Rickman)

Still, she could tell a little bit of what Alan was like when he wasn’t in character, because he would always invite his friends’ children to eat with him at their canteen – “It was odd that any of the adult actors would lunch in the canteen, but odder still that Snape would, surrounded by a group of giddy little girls and boys,” Evanna commented.

Evanna met Alan again at a charity dinner a few years later. In her tribute to Alan, she recounted that she wanted so much to avoid the awkwardness of sitting beside him that she even offered to switch seats with someone. (READ: Daniel Radcliffe pays tribute to Alan Rickman)

Alan surprised her though, by greeting her warmly, by name, and talking to her for an hour.

“At the time I was stressing about the pressure I felt to already be a successful actress and that I’d run out of time to make mistakes,” said Evanna.

Alan tried to help her out: “He told me he hadn’t known what he’d wanted to be out of school, that he’d gone to art school first to be a graphic artist and had come to acting a few years later when he applied for drama school. As an actress, already having to lie about my age at 24, it seems mad that Alan only found his vocation and began his acting journey at 26 and turned out to be… Alan Rickman.”

When Evanna said that she was worried that she’d miss out on opportunities if she didn’t figure out what she wanted quickly, Alan told her she was focusing on the wrong thing.

“He said not to worry about getting ‘there’ and instead to focus on feeding my soul and following my heart from place to place,” shared Evanna. “And then he gave me the loveliest acting advice I’ve ever gotten. ‘People think that they’re watching this’ he said waving his hand in front of his face, ‘but really they’re watching this’ and he pounded his fist on his heart center.”

It was that advice, said Evanna, that changed her life: “It truly stuck with me and it made me start living differently, being more in tune with my heart, listening and following its rhythms and wishes and surrendering the need to control my life.”

After that talk with Alan, Evanna also realized how hard it must have been for Alan to stay in character as Snape. “I so appreciate the fact that he cared that much about his character, that he didn’t dismiss Harry Potter as a ‘kids film,’ a handy job and a sizeable paycheck. He loved and honored Snape the way all beloved characters deserve and he made the Harry Potter world that much more real for us.”

“Please honor his memory and what he gave us by talking about and sharing stories and continuing to celebrate his legacy so then he will be here, as we like to say, ‘Always,’ finished Evanna, referring to one of Snape’s famous lines from the Harry Potter series.

Alan Rickman played Snape in all 8 Harry Potter films. News of his death due to cancer was reported Thursday, January 14.

What do you think of Evanna Lynch’s tribute to Alan Rickman? Let us know in the comments! – Rappler.com

More on Alan Rickman:

• British actor Alan Rickman dies
• Remembering Alan Rickman: 5 unforgettable roles
• Daniel Radcliffe pays tribute to Alan Rickman
• JK Rowling, ‘Harry Potter’ cast remember Alan Rickman
• Stars mourn death of Alan Rickman