Sometimes, the greatest movie moments happen far away from any camera.
For Matthew Lewis, starring in the Harry Potter movie franchise as Neville Longbottom was a dream come true. But in a new interview, the actor recalled one day on set that he will never forget.
While appearing on the Inside of You podcast, Matthew shared a memory with the late Alan Rickman that he will treasure forever.
"On his last day, I went to his trailer," he recalled. "And I said to him, ‘Hey, I know it's your last day, and I just wanted to say this has been incredible to have worked with you for this long. I know we've not really spoken very much, but I just wanted to say it was because I was terrified, but you were incredible. Thank you for allowing me to work with you for 10 years and not ever shout at me or treat any of us as anything less than your equal.'"
So what happened next? Alan invited Matthew into his trailer for a drink.
"He put the kettle on and we had a cup of tea and we chatted about what I was going to do in my career going forward and what he recommended I do and I'm so glad I did that," Matthew continued. "I wish I did it five years earlier. At least I can say I did that. I never did that with anyone else."
While much of their conversation will remain private, the 31-year-old actor will remember one piece of advice from the English actor.
"He said, ‘You can do it!' He said those words," Matthew shared. "He recommended theatre and that's why I did some theatre. I learned so much more about myself as not only an actor but as a person and what I want out of life, I learned that on stage."
In January 2016, Alan passed away in a London hospital after privately battling terminal pancreatic cancer. He was 69 years old.
His death sparked dozens of tributes from Hollywood stars including the cast and crew of Harry Potter.
"I recalled the trailer in which he offered me some of the greatest advice I ever received about this mad profession we shared," Matthew wrote on Instagram shortly after learning about Alan's passing. "Being back in those corridors made me remember a lot of things and I will treasure those memories all my life. He inspired my career more than he ever knew and I'll miss him."