Emma Watson has always been open about her relationship with fame and her career. After stepping away from Hollywood following her role in Little Women (2019), the Harry Potter star has now revealed the part of acting that she’s truly happy to leave behind.
In a rare and candid interview with Hollywood Authentic, published on September 21, Emma explained why she doesn’t miss everything about being an actress—even though she cherishes the art itself.
Why Emma Watson Stepped Away From Acting
Emma Watson admitted that while she feels incredibly fortunate for the opportunities she’s had, not every part of the job brought her joy.
“In some ways, I really won the lottery [with acting], and what happened to me is so unusual,” she shared. “But a bigger component than the actual job itself is the promotion and selling of that piece of work, this piece of art. The balance of that can get quite thrown off.”
She confessed that the endless cycle of publicity, interviews, and promotion often overshadowed the creative process. “I’ll be honest—I do not miss selling things. I found that to be quite soul-destroying. But I do very much miss using my skill set, and I very much miss the art. I just found I got to do so little of the bit that I actually enjoyed.”
Emma Watson on the Joy of Acting
Despite the pressures, Emma Watson still deeply values the creative freedom that acting brought her. Having made her debut at just 11 years old in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, she recalls the magic of stepping onto a film set.
“The moment you get on a film set, you don’t get very long for rehearsal,” she explained. “But once the camera rolls, you completely forget everything else in the world. It’s such an intense form of meditation, because you just cannot be anywhere else.”
Emma revealed that this is the part of acting she misses most: “With Little Women being my last project, I miss that profoundly. But I don’t miss the pressure. I forgot how much pressure it really was.”
Life Beyond Hollywood
Although acting is on pause, Emma Watson hasn’t abandoned creativity. She dabbled in a small theater project with friends but admitted even that reminded her of the stress she doesn’t miss.
Instead, the actress—now pursuing her doctorate at the University of Oxford—is prioritizing her personal life and building stronger foundations.
“The most important thing, really—or the foundation of your life—is your home, friends, and family,” she reflected. “I think I worked so hard for so long that my life sort of bottomed out. So I needed to do some construction work—some good foundations for anything else to grow from.”
What’s Next for Emma Watson?
While Emma has hinted she might consider working behind the camera in the future, for now, her focus is on her loved ones, education, and living life outside the Hollywood spotlight.
She’s not the only star to step away from the industry, but Emma Watson’s honest reflections highlight the balance between passion and pressure in the acting world. And for fans, her words offer a rare glimpse into what truly matters to the actress today.
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