Evanna Lynch has announced today that she has opened up a YouTube account for herself. In the announcement she said:

So I finally started a Youtube account! I have no desire to start vlogging (I write much better than I speak) but I have been doing a lot of public speaking lately and many of you have been asking for links to watch them. I am finally at the stage where I feel confident about speaking in public and happy to share these videos so I will be using this youtube page to upload all future speeches/talks I do. Eventually I’ll have a website where I can upload the transcripts of speeches and write more blog posts but that is a while off. For now, here is the full version of the short speech I gave at WE Day London last month. Lots of Love, Evy xxx

She has posted her first video, from WE Day in London on March. She also spoke at WE Day in California but a video from that appearance has not been posted yet.

The From the Rough website has uploaded a new trailer for the film, which stars Tom Felton as Edward, a young golf player. The film will be released in limited theatres in the US on April 25th, you can search Fandango to see if the film is playing in your area (schedules may not be available yet). A synopsis for the film is as follows:

From the Rough is the inspirational true story of Catana Starks from historically black university Tennessee State, who became the first African-American woman ever to coach an all-men’s team at the collegiate level. Through grit and determination, she overcame incredible odds and deep-seated prejudice from all corners to guide a rag-tag group of golfers to an all-time record championship season.

Thanks to Feltbeats for the tip!

J.K. Rowling’s Facebook page has been updated to announce she will be one of five guest editors for BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour Takeover week from 28th April to 2nd May 2014. Radio Times has noted that this is the first time in 60 years the program has had guest editors, and Rowling is the lucky first.

According to the post: She will guest edit the Woman’s Hour programme on Monday 28th April, followed by Kelly Holmes, Naomi Alderman, Doreen Lawrence, and Lauren Laverne as guest editors on subsequent days. Her programme will look at such topics as the issue of orphanages, and why so many children continue to be cared for in institutions worldwide; the power and myth of the shoe in popular culture; and why Scotland has the highest number of multiple sclerosis sufferers in the world.

Yesterday Bonnie Wright participated in HuffPostLive to talk about Global Poverty Project’s week of living ‘Below The Line’ which Bonnie is participating in again. As part of the program, participants survive on under $1.50 a day (for food), like 12 million individuals across the globe do everyday involuntarily. View the videos of Bonnie talking about the initiative over at Huffington Post and get involved if you can! Make sure to follow along on her Twitter to see how she is Living Below the Line and sponsor her over at her fundraising page.

She was also asked a few Potter questions and talked about the series:

“[The Fantastic Beasts trilogy is] going to be pre-everything that’s happened, so my character wasn’t even born,” she said. “I think our dedication to ten years of that story and our involvement was more than I ever could’ve wanted or asked for so,” she explained. “I think we all took our characters to where they could be taken and I think it’s exciting for the next story that she’s going to tell, and the people who are going to be involved.”

It has been announced that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be coming to Universal Hollywood in 2016!  According to a news release:

2016 will be a magical year for Universal Studios Hollywood as the theme park’s epic transformation becomes fully realized with the highly-anticipated arrival of “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.”

Inspired by the magical world created by J.K. Rowling and brought to life in the Warner Bros. films, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” at Universal Studios Hollywood will be a fully immersive land designed for the entire family that brings the Harry Potter fiction and films to life with impeccable detail and authenticity. Similar to the dynamic Universal Orlando Resort themed land that opened in 2010, the Hollywood experience will be faithful to the visual landscape of the fiction and films, including Hogwarts castle that will serve as the iconic focal point of the impressively themed environment. “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” is a collaboration between J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros. Entertainment and Universal Parks and Resorts.

We reported last week about Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter’s 2014 events. Today they have sent a press release discussing the return of Wand Week from May 23th – June 2nd. Visitors will discover first-hand how duelling scenes were developed and the incredible amount of planning that went into each wand movement. They’ll get the chance to duel with a Death Eater after learning wand battle choreography with an interactive experience created by expert Paul Harris.

By popular demand, Wand Week will return to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter this May and visitors will be invited to delve into the world of wandmaking and wizarding duels.

From Friday 23^rd May – Monday 2^nd June, visitors will discover first-hand how duelling scenes were developed and the incredible amount of planning that went into each wand movement. They’ll get the chance to duel with a Death Eater after learning wand battle choreography with an interactive experience created by expert Paul Harris. Paul composed the battle scene between Dumbledore and Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and is the world’s only Wand Combat Choreographer.

Those exploring Diagon Alley will be able to see a special effects demonstration created by BAFTA-winning Special Effects Supervisor John Richardson. By pointing a wand, visitors will be able to cast a spell that will make the sign above Potage’s Cauldron Shop bang and flash as if by magic.

Original moulds, concept art and wand designs will be displayed in the attraction and members of Head Prop Maker Pierre Bohanna’s team will showcase some of the techniques they used to hand-carve wands for the Harry Potter film series.

The iconic duelling table, as seen in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, will also be on display in the iconic Great Hall set.

Spellbinding secrets:

• In the first and second films, the wands looked quite plain. This was drastically changed in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, when the wands were given distinctive shapes and carvings, reflecting the owners’ personalities. For example, the wand of Professor Slughorn (Jim Broadbent) is inlaid with silver slug trails and has a slug-shaped handle.
• Prop makers designed a series of wand holsters for the Death Eaters that would attach around their waists for easy access. The Death Eater wands were also more showy and aesthetic than the other characters’ – to match their extravagant masks which were made of filigreed silver.
• More than 3,000 wands were produced for the Harry Potter film series, including the elaborate wand that was created for Professor Dumbledore before the Prop Making Team discovered its importance as the Elder Wand.

Tickets must be pre-booked and all extra activities are included in the ticket price.