Evanna Lynch actually had a nine-year relationship with her Harry Potter co-star

Evanna Lynch, best known for her role as Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter franchise, was in a nine-year relationship with one of her co-stars.

The 31-year-old Irish actress first joined the hugely successful series in 2007, when Luna made her debut appearance in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

It was on the set of the fifth instalment that Lynch would meet her boyfriend, Robbie Jarvis.

Jarvis only made an appearance once, playing a younger version of Harry's father James in a scene where he bullies a young Severus Snape.

Despite his short stint in the Potter franchise, Jarvis had a long lasting relationship with Lynch.

The two went public with their romance in 2015 after nine years of secrecy, when Lynch posted a series of snaps to Instagram.

The photos were taken on a trip to Hobbiton in New Zealand, where the Lord of the Rings films were filmed.

In the posts, Jarvis revealed that the trip had been the last time he'd eaten meat as Lynch persuaded him to go vegan.

According to The Mirror, Jarvis said: "That holiday was the last time I ate meat and I pity the boy in this photo who had more in common with those sheep than he realised. I'm happy to say that I'm now much closer to knowing the true cost of my food."

That comment came after a day of being surrounded by sheep - only for Jarvis to order a lamb burger for dinner, much to Lynch's despair.

However, despite their shared diet, the couple soon parted ways, with Lynch confirming their break-up in late 2016.

Speaking at the premiere of Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, Lynch confirmed there were no hard feelings: "We're both vegans, so we go to a lot of vegan events together. So yeah, we're good friends."

Before she was cast in Harry Potter, Lynch had struggled with an eating disorder.

In 2018, the actress spoke openly of how she overcame anorexia while appearing on Dancing With The Stars.

Lynch said: "When I was like 11, 12, I was battling an eating disorder. Anyone who's had an eating disorder knows it completely takes over your life.

"And the only thing that could actually take my attention apart from that was the Harry Potter series.

"I started writing to J.K. Rowling and she wrote back and we became pen friends after that. I was in and out of hospital and I would be getting these letters.

"Her books and her kindness really made me want to live again. I loved the feeling of creating and acting, more than I loved the feeling of being skinny or of being perfect.

"We were pen pals. We were writing to each other for years, but then when the open audition happened, it happened within two weeks from the audition to getting the part and I didn't have a chance to tell her."

If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article and would like to speak with someone in confidence, call the BEAT Eating Disorders helpline on 0808 801 0677. Helplines are open 365 days a year from 9am–8pm during the week, and 4pm–8pm on weekends and bank holidays. Alternatively, you can try the one-to-one webchat

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