Zoe Wanamaker on reuniting with ‘hunk’ Harry Potter co-star Matthew Lewis aka Neville Longbottom

Zoe Wanamaker on reuniting with ‘hunk’ Harry Potter co-star Matthew Lewis

Zoe Wanamaker on being reunited on screen with Harry Potter co-star

Zoe Wanamaker has said it was a “shock” to see that her former Harry Potter co-star Matthew Lewis had turned into a “gorgeous hunk” when they reunited for a new TV programme.

Zoe plays Gail in Kay Mellor’s new drama series Girlfriends, and Lewis appears as her troublesome son Tom.

The pair both starred in the magical franchise’s first film Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone in 2001, with Zoe Wanamaker starring as teacher Madam Hooch and Lewis as the clumsy young wizard Neville Longbottom.

Zoe Wanamaker and Matthew Lewis

Zoe Wanamaker and Matthew Lewis (PA)

 

Over 15 years later, the actress has shared her surprise in working with Lewis again and how his appearance has changed.

Zoe said: “I haven’t seen Matthew since he was in Harry Potter, so it was a shock when I saw him.

“This gorgeous hunk.”

She added, referring to how he looked as a youngster: “And this little round face, with ears like that. It was hysterical.”

In recent years, 28-year-old Lewis has wowed fans after losing weight and toning up, meaning he looks a world away from his chubby Harry Potter alter-ego.

Girlfriends

Matthew Lewis and Zoe Wanamaker in Girlfriends (ITV/Rollem)

 

Girlfriends follows the lives of three women over the age of 50, with Wanamaker as Gail and Phyllis Logan and Miranda Richardson as her lifelong friends Linda and Sue.

Zoe, who is also known for starring in sitcom My Family, said the new programme is a big change from that.

She said: “This is different. This is a different kind of writing. My Family, for instance, is a sitcom. I always used to think it was called ‘sitting down comedy’.

“It’s always about the script; you’re always looking for something that’s different and interesting, so this has got a completely different rhythm to other stuff.”

She said that Girlfriends appealed to her because of how it champions the three female leads.

“That’s always interesting because they’re completely, like all of us, individual characters with individual storylines, and bringing those life crises,” she said.

“Everybody is in their crisis when we meet them, and that’s fascinating.”

Girlfriends airs tonight at 9pm on ITV.

David Hollingsworth
Editor

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.

Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough. 

David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.

Other than watching and writing about telly, David loves playing cricket, going to the cinema, trying to improve his tennis and chasing about after his kids!