Emma Watson, the actress who rose to fame as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, has spoken out about her decision to take a break from acting and what she has been doing since her last film, Little Women, in 2019.
Not retired, but exploring other passions.
Emma Watson, 33, told British In an interview published on Thursday, January 25, that she has not retired from acting but wanted to expand her horizons and pursue other interests, such as writing, directing, producing, and studying.
“I don’t see myself as having stepped away from acting,” Watson said. “I just see myself as wanting to expand what I do and being able to be in things that I have written, directed, or produced.”
Emma Watson explained that she started exploring these professions during the COVID-19 pandemic when she was at home and had more time to be creative. “I just realized how much I loved it and wanted to keep doing that,” she said. “And so I actually study now as well.”
Emma Watson made her directorial debut in 2022 with a short film that served as an ad campaign for the Prada Paradox fragrance. She said her next goal is to star in something she has written herself. “To direct something that I’d written one day would make me pretty excited,” she said.
However, Emma Watson acknowledged that creating her projects takes time and patience and does not expect to return to the big screen anytime soon. “To be at the start of a project takes time,” she said. “Films can be decades in the making, finding, writing, and putting it together. I don’t see it as a closing down. I see it as an opening up.”
Emma Watson Finding happiness and balance
Emma Watson also opened up about her personal life and how she has found happiness and balance in the past few years. She said she has focused on her health, relationships, and activism for gender equality and sustainability.
She revealed that she is in a “very happy” relationship with businessman Leo Robinson, whom she has been dating since 2019. She said he supports her career and causes and they share a passion for the environment. She also said they have adopted a rescue dog named Sofia, who brings them joy and comfort.
Emma Watson also reflected on her famous comment in 2019, saying she was “self-partnered” and not single. She clarified that she did not mean to celebrate being alone, but rather to express her pride in caring for herself and being independent.
“Getting to the point when I was 30, I was realizing, ‘Oh, maybe I’ve figured out some things about how to care for myself better—maybe quite well, actually.’ And taking pride in that,” she said.
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Reuniting with the Harry Potter cast
Watson also shared her excitement about reuniting with her Harry Potter co-stars for the 20th anniversary special, Harry Potter: Return to Hogwarts, which aired on HBO Max on January 1. She said it was a “magical” experience to see Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, and others again and reminisce about their time in the films.
She said she felt a strong bond with her fellow actors, who understood what it was like to grow up in the spotlight and deal with the pressures of fame. She said they also supported each other through personal and professional challenges and remained friends.
“It was just so nice to be in a room with people who get it,” she said. “We’ve all been through this unique experience together, and we’ve all had our ups and downs, and we’ve all been there for each other. And I think that’s something that will never go away.”
