"Potter" Stars Reunite for Charity Cricket: Felton and Lewis Face Off for a Good Cause
The Hogwarts rivalry continues off-screen as Tom Felton and Matthew Lewis, stars of the beloved "Harry Potter" franchise, reunited for a charity cricket match. The pair, who played Draco Malfoy and Neville Longbottom respectively, battled it out on the field in a heartwarming event organised by former "Harry Potter" stuntman, David Holmes.
Felton, 36, took to Instagram on Tuesday, 27 August, to share a selfie with Lewis, 35, and Holmes, at the David Holmes Cricket Cup. "Who won ð¦ vsð by 1 run? Bloody Longbottom ð," Felton captioned the image, playfully hinting at the victory of Lewis' Gryffindor team.
The match marked the 15th annual David Holmes Cricket Cup, an event established by Holmes after he suffered a life-changing spinal injury during the filming of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows â Part 1" in 2010. Holmes, who was left paralysed from the chest down, has been using the event to raise funds for charities close to his heart.
In a video posted to Instagram, Holmes detailed the event's significance. "Over those 15 years, friends, family have gathered together in honour of just, me, which is amazing and raised money for charity, probably hundreds and thousands of pounds over the years," he said, adding that Team Gryffindor now holds a narrow 8-7 lead in the overall competition.
This year's match raised funds for the Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital, both in the UK. The latter, which treated Holmes after his accident, has benefited from his ambassadorship since 2013. Felton has also been a supporter of the children's charity since 2015, participating in seven of the 15 annual cricket matches, including the inaugural event in 2009.
The event further cemented the bond between the "Harry Potter" cast and Holmes. In November 2023, Daniel Radcliffe, who played the titular Harry Potter, collaborated with Holmes on the HBO documentary "David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived." The film pays tribute to the stuntman who served as Radcliffe's primary double throughout the franchise.
Holmes' Instagram feed frequently showcases his memories from the "Potter" sets and beyond. In July, he shared a picture of himself with Lewis and Felton at a previous Cricket Cup, highlighting that the event has raised over £100,000 for the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital over the years.
The event serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring legacy of the "Harry Potter" franchise and its cast. While the characters' rivalry may be fiction, the real-life friendship and compassion displayed by those involved in the Cricket Cup is a testament to the powerful impact of the magical world they helped bring to life.
