Harry Potter’s Matthew Lewis says it’s ‘painful’ to watch himself play Neville Longbottom

Harry Potter star Matthew Lewis has revealed it is “painful” to watch himself play Neville Longbottom in the long-running franchise.

Lewis portrayed gawky wizard Neville in all eight Harry Potter movies, but confessed that he has a hard time watching the films due to the similarities between himself and the character.

“I find it quite difficult when too much of me starts to come through in a character,” Lewis told The New York Times. “It’s easier when I can play someone completely different, like a police officer in London or someone who’s wealthy.”

He added that this meant he struggles to rewatch the Harry Potter movies today.

“At times it’s painful how much of me there is in Neville,” he said. “When I’m watching, I’m like, ‘That’s not Neville; that’s you.’”

Lewis, who last appeared in the Channel 5 series All Creatures Great and Small, followed up the Harry Potter franchise with roles in films including Me Before You and the romantic comedy Baby Done.

He sparked social media virality in 2015 when he posed topless for Attitude Magazine, leading Harry Potter creator JK Rowling to jokingly tweet: “Warn me next time, for God’s sake!”