Luna Lovegood wants to distance herself from “Harry Potter” for this super understandable reason

To most of us, getting the chance to star in one — let alone multiple — Harry Potter films sounds like a dream come true.

But according to Luna Lovegood actress Evanna Lynch’s latest Instagram, Harry Potter fame can have its downsides, too. Specifically, being so associated with one iconic character that it’s tough to get cast in other roles which, when coupled with the very human tendency to stick with what you know instead of trying something new, can cause a whole lot of career frustration.

For 25-year-old Lynch, who was plucked from obscurity as a teen when she auditioned against 15,000 other girls, this combination has taken its toll — so she’s ready to leave her Harry Potter lifestyle (and with it, the pretty decent checks an actor can collecting attending fan conventions) behind her.

“I’m going to take a break from conventions after the other two I’ve committed to this year because I need to push myself as an artist more,” Lynch began in her Tuesday, January 17th Instagram post.

"Sometimes life gives you an easy route that dulls your appetite for chasing your dreams and you become inhibited by fear of what lays beyond comfort and safety. That for me has been living off the world I inhabited a decade ago. It's a blessing to have a safety net and while it's possible to maintain safety and chaos together I believe I need insecurity to light a fire under my scared little artist's ass."

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPVh5d0jZGi

Unlike other Potter child stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson — and pretty similar to Rupert Grint, who is actually making a push for a career resurgence right now — Lynch’s post-Wizarding World resume is pretty slim. She has seven non-Luna credits listed on her IMDB page, and we’ve honestly never heard of any of them.

Her latest project was again voicing Luna in the 2015 video game Lego Dimensions, so we fully understand why Lynch is feeling a little bit stuck — and honestly, really do admire her for being so willing to embrace the unknown. While most of us will never have to choose between easy Harry Potter paychecks and audition rooms, we do know what it’s like to experience major, scary junctions in our careers; to have to choose between what we know and the terrifying (but also potentially incredible) road less traveled.

“I’m different now and need to honour that and challenge myself to create something else, something from the person I am today,” she continued. “I feel like I’m stuck in my 18 year old self artistically when I actually have a lot more to say. I’m writing it down for myself to acknowledge and to remind myself to not be held back by fear of discovering my inabilities and inadequacies as an actor and human. What is there to lose anymore by being relentlessly optimistic about the future? I have run out of excuses and want to follow my heart wholeheartedly rather than my fear… ?? ”

Sounds like a pretty decent way to kick off 2017 if we do say so ourselves. Now let’s go dust off those grad school applications …