Harry Potter’s Neville Longbottom: Then and Now

Matthew Lewis had made just a handful of TV appearances before he was plucked from relative obscurity in 2001 to play Neville Longbottom, Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s dorky, lovable and ultimately heroic classmate in eight Harry Potter films.

He bloomed from an awkward youth into one of the franchise’s most beloved characters, virtually stealing the show in the last film’s big finale.

In a new Radio Times interview to promote his new BBC Three comedy Bluestone 42 he revealed he’d be up for reprising his most famous role in a spin-off film, telling them: “If it came to it that I was offered that sort of deal [to play Neville again] – I want to say I’d consider it – but I’d probably jump at the chance, absolutely!"

Judging by the response online, it’d probably do pretty well at the box office too as it seems the heroic Neville - and Matthew - still has legions of fans.

Join us as we trace Matthew’s evolution from dork to dreamboat.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

Matthew’s latest role in the Afghanistan set comedy Bluestone 42 sees the former Potter star defusing bombs as Corporal Gordon “Tower Block” House, a role he says is “as much fun as I’ve ever had.”

He’s also looking forward to seeing the Harry Potter spin-off films based on JK Rowlings’ Fantastic Beasts, mainly because he’s not going to be in them.

"One of the things that ruined all the films for me was that I had to watch myself in them – it was a nightmare,” Lewis said. “But I can go to watch the new films without any kind of fear of my own performance.”

To finish off our Neville Longbottom love in, here’s a few more pics of Matthew Lewis in the BBC Three comedy Bluestone 42.

Tom Butler writes for Yahoo Movies UK.