Emma Watson has revealed the reasons behind her absence from the big screen in recent years.
Watson is an English actress best known for her roles in both blockbuster and independent films.
She has had a highly successful acting career, starring in all eight Harry Potter films, as well as notable roles in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Beauty and the Beast.
However, in recent years, Watson has stepped away from the spotlight, and she has now opened up about the reasons behind her absence.
Watson had no prior acting experience before landing the role of Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films.
In an interview with Interview Magazine, Watson recalled, “There was no open audition – they went all over England to find these characters, and not just drama schools.
“They came to my school and asked if they could put forward a group of 20 children between the ages of 9 and 12. They took my photograph in the school gym, and then I got a call three weeks later.”
After a long and intense audition process, Watson finally landed the role of a lifetime, which not only made her a household name but also ensured her financial security.
However, her time on the Harry Potter set wasn’t without its challenges.
Watson previously shared that she nearly walked away from the wizarding world when the reality of fame truly sank in. In a surprising revelation during the Harry Potter reunion, co-star Rupert Grint said, “You were thinking about quitting. I’ve never really talked to you about that.”
Watson had previously shared that she nearly left the wizarding world when the impact of fame truly hit her. In a surprising moment during the Harry Potter reunion, co-star Rupert Grint revealed, “You were thinking of stepping away. I’ve never really discussed that with you.”
“I think I was scared,” Watson admitted. “I don’t know if you ever reached a point where you thought, ‘This is kind of forever now.’”
“We never really talked about it,” Daniel Radcliffe chimed in. “I guess we were all just experiencing it at our own pace. We were in the moment, and it didn’t really cross our minds that we were probably all having similar feelings.”
Watson remarked, “No one had to convince me to stick with it. The fans truly wanted me to succeed, and they all genuinely support one another.”
After the success of Harry Potter, Watson appeared in several films, with her most recent being Little Women, which came out in 2019.
A few years have passed, and many of the star’s fans have taken to social media to ask why she seems to have stepped away from acting.
One fan posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Come on, come back. We miss you already.”
Another person added, “Hope she’s doing well.”
In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Watson shared her reasons for stepping away from the spotlight.
“I wasn’t very happy, if I’m being honest,” she confessed. “I think I felt a bit trapped. What was really difficult for me was having to promote things I had little control over.”
The actress especially struggled with the pressure of endorsing the projects she was involved in.
She explained, “It was really challenging to stand in front of a film and have every journalist ask, ‘How does this align with your viewpoint?’ I had to be the face and spokesperson for projects where I wasn’t involved in the process.”
She continued, “I was being held accountable in ways that became increasingly frustrating because I didn’t have a voice or a say. And then I realized that I only wanted to be associated with things where, if someone criticized me, I could honestly say, ‘Yes, I messed up, it was my decision, I should have done better,’ without hating myself for it.”
After working on a Prada campaign, Watson has discovered a new creative passion for writing and directing.
The actress has also shared her thoughts on whether she will ever return to acting.
She told the Financial Times, “Yes, absolutely. But I’m happy to sit and wait for the next right thing. I love what I do.
“It’s about finding a way to do it where I don’t have to split myself into different personas. I just don’t want to switch into ‘robot mode’ anymore. Does that make sense?”
