How to Bewitch a Wizard

Lavender vs. Hermione is our first Hogwarts girl war. Can they ever be friends?
Hermione is the total, total opposite of Lavender. I think that's why she ruffles Hermione's feathers so much and gets under her skin. Ron has fallen for somebody who is the antithesis of her. And it's just quite insulting when somebody you really, really like goes for somebody who is so different than you. You're like, "What's' wrong with me?" Hermione's very simple, and plain, and subtle and discrete—something that Lavender can never be. They won't get on ever, in any universe, because they don't fit together. They clash.

When you first kiss Ron, you're in a huge common room of 50-plus other students. Were you nervous?
It was strange. It was the third day of my filming schedule, so Rupert [Grint] had to get accustomed to me just kind of leaping on him all the time early on. It was quite a long scene to shoot, as well—it took a few days—so we were having to kiss and to do it over and over and over again.

And the crowds staring at you?
I actually couldn't really see anything. I didn't have my contacts in, because I'd forgotten them, so I was quite happy in my own little world.

If you'd filmed that scene now instead of a year ago, Lavender might've gotten swine flu. [Rupert Grint, the actor who plays Ron, was diagnosed with a "mild case" of the illness earlier this month.]
Yeah, that would be quite funny! I think he's all better now.

As the newcomer, is it still weird to see yourself on posters everywhere?
It's so, so strange to be involved in this kind of franchise that I've grown up watching and been in awe of. Nobody could've missed out on the Harry Potter phenomenon, you know? Nobody doesn't know what the books are, nobody hasn't seen one film, or at least read one book, or one page of one book. Everyone knows it. And so to be involved with it has been quite great, because it's immediately a common ground with people ... immediately people feel they can talk to me about it.

Think you'll get used to it?
I just can't wait to be 88, and to talk to my grandchildren and just to say that I played Lavender Brown. I still think I'm going to be in a bit of a daze for a while, but I can't wait till the future, really, when I can look back on it and kind of just be amazed by it.

Anyone make you feel star struck at the premiere?
Helena Bonham Carter is just my favorite actress ever. To be in the same auditorium as her, and at the party, as well, where I saw her ... I just thought, "Oh, I love you!"

And the next film?
I am doing Harry Potter 8, so I'm doing the final section of the books where I'm in battle and Lavender kind of gets almost killed, or she dies, which I definitely know I'm going to be back for!

© 2009