Harry Potter star Evanna Lynch stuns fans with surprise new role

Harry Potter fans have been left gobsmacked by Evanna Lynch’s surprise appearance in a gritty crime drama.

One of the young stars of Harry Potter has stunned fans with her surprising debut in a gritty British drama series.

Evanna Lynch shot to fame at just 14 years old after landing the role of quirky young witch Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Fast-forward more than a decade, and the Irish actress, now 30, was clearly all grown up as she played Paisley Robinson in the BBC One series, Silent Witness.

In the episode, she was seen visiting her on-screen boyfriend in prison – a role which had her appearing vastly different from the one that made her famous.

Lynch plays the girlfriend of a prisoner in Silent Witness.

As Luna Lovegood.

And Harry Potter fans were gobsmacked.

LUNA LOVEGOOD? #SilentWitnesspic.twitter.com/hvmDApbIr7

— Emma 🐝💫 silent witness era (spoilers) (@emrobros) September 6, 2021

When you see Luna Lovegood in Silent Witness pic.twitter.com/HVyCiZTuL4

— Georgie King (@georgelakingdom) September 7, 2021

also miss luna lovegood was in silent witness last night???2!3!3! pic.twitter.com/bolfuQqKes

— freya hates libby | 212 DAYS UNTIL 5SOS☀️ (@inl0vewlouis) September 7, 2021

Luna Lovegood is in silent witness. 🤯

— Lydia Brain (@lid_jar) September 7, 2021

LUNA LOVEGOOD HELLO #silentwitness

— claire 🌱🌞 (@claireoceans) September 6, 2021

Is that Luna Lovegood? #SilentWitness

— Allison Loder (@NossieR) September 6, 2021

Is that Luna Lovegood having a thing with a psychotic prisoner? #SilentWitness

— Peta Fox (@TheRadioFanatic) September 6, 2021

In early 2006, Lynch beat 15,000 other young girls to land the role of Luna in the fifth Harry Potter film, The Order of the Phoenix, after turning up at a casting call in London – despite having no prior professional acting experience.

She went on to star in three other Harry Potter films.

In 2018, Lynch opened up about how Harry Potter“made me want to live again” amid her battle with an eating disorder as a child.

“Anyone who’s had an eating disorder knows it completely takes over your life,” she noted. “The only thing that could actually take my attention apart from that was the Harry Potter series.”

Lynch started writing to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, and the two became pen pals.

“I was in and out of hospital and I would be getting these letters,” the actress said on the US Dancing With The Stars in 2018, adding that Rowling’s “books and her kindness really made me want to live again”.

Just a few years later, she landed the role of Luna in the magical franchise, with Rowling unaware of their previous link at the time.