The Harry Potter World Cup's second round has been filled with some seriously intense match-ups so far, with one of the fiercest duels coming down between Minerva McGonagall and Neville Longbottom. The Hogwarts teacher and her Gryffindor student have battled back and forth between first and second place for the better part of a week now, and there's still no clear winner in sight.
Well, perhaps some words of encouragement from actor Matthew Lewis, who's played Neville throughout the entire big-screen "Harry Potter" experience, will tip the scales in his favor. We spoke with the 22-year-old actor earlier today about how his character's holding up in the World Cup thus far, and when he learned about Neville's current struggle, he was determined to plead his case to you guys, the voters.
So, why should you vote for Neville? According to the man himself: "Well, quite clearly, he's the best character, obviously!"
"He could've been the Chosen One, but it didn't quite work out for him [that way]," he continued. "And yet he still manages to be a hero. He lost his parents when he was very young -- they were in a mental hospital, so he never had that parental guidance. And yet he still managed to come through and be the fine Gryffindor that he ended up being, which you'll see in 'Deathly Hallows Part 2.'
Neville definitely has his big hero moment in the second half of the "Harry Potter" finale, but he's proven himself to be a loyal, trustworthy and more-than-capable wizard throughout the entire series. Still, despite his impressive accomplishments, it all boils down to the fact that Neville is... well, just like us, really.
"He's just an every man," said Lewis. "He's a guy who went to school, wasn't particularly good at school. Was a bit shy, was vulnerable, was bullied? but when the chips were down, and he had to come forward, he saved the day. That's why you should vote for Neville: he's loyal, he's courageous, and he just gets on with it."
What do you think, "Harry Potter" fans? Has Lewis convinced you on Neville's behalf? Place your votes for Neville versus McGonagall, and let us know what you think in the comments section and on Twitter!
Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/06/30/harry-potter-world-cup-neville-longbottom-matthew-lewis/
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