After Emma Watson, Another Harry Potter Star Speaks Out About J.K. Rowling
Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter movies, has opened up about the upcoming TV series adaptation of the franchise.
The series, which was announced in 2023, will see Yorkshire actor Rory Wilmot take over the role of Neville. Lewis admitted he hasn’t given much thought to the show yet and hinted that seeing his character reimagined might be strange for him.
“I haven’t really thought about the series as a whole at all,” Lewis told The Independent. He even joked about how thinking too much about it might be stressful: “I’ll probably have to pay my therapist for a double session when I finally do think about it.”
Despite his reservations, Lewis was pleased to learn that the new Neville is also from Yorkshire. “I feel quite humbled in that Neville is now canon Yorkshire. Whether that’s a tribute to me or not, I don’t know, I’m gonna say that it is. But the last thing [the new cast] needs is for has-beens wading in, just let them cook,” he said.
When asked if he would consider working with Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling again, Lewis replied it would “depend on what the project is.” He noted that given the controversies around Rowling’s views on transgender issues, he would need to feel fully comfortable and ensure any collaboration aligns with his own beliefs.
This comes as part of a wider conversation about Rowling and her relationships with former cast members.
Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, has recently shared her side of the story. On her podcast with Shetty, Watson said she still respects Rowling personally, even if they disagree on social issues. “I think the thing I’m most upset about is that conversation is never made possible. I really don’t believe that by having had that experience and holding the love and support and views that I have, means that I can’t and don’t treasure Jo and the person that I had personal experiences with. I will never believe that one negates the other,” Watson said.
She also expressed a wish for mutual respect despite differences, saying, “It’s my deepest wish that I hope people who don’t agree with my opinion will love me and I hope I can keep loving people who I don’t necessarily share the same opinion with.”
Rowling, meanwhile, has criticized Watson publicly, calling her views on transgender rights “ignorant” and suggesting that Watson’s praise of her may be influenced by public opinion. Their friendship, which had been close during the filming of the Harry Potter films, reportedly suffered over time due to these differences.
I'm seeing quite a bit of comment about this, so I want to make a couple of points.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 29, 2025
I'm not owed eternal agreement from any actor who once played a character I created. The idea is as ludicrous as me checking with the boss I had when I was twenty-one for what opinions I should… https://t.co/c0pz19P7jc
The new TV series is generating attention not just for bringing Harry Potter characters back to screens, but also because it highlights the ongoing public discussions around Rowling and her former cast members.
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