Coming up on five years, Emma Watson opens up about her acting hiatus and addresses if she will ever return. Best known for her career-defining portrayal of the levelheaded Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series, Watson subsequently starred in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Bling Ring, Noah, and 2017’s Beauty and the Beast. However, she hasn’t acted since she wrapped filming Greta Gerwig’s Little Women adaptation in 2018 and isn’t currently attached to any film or TV projects, meaning her hiatus could hit the five-year mark at the end of 2023.
During a recent interview with the Financial Times, Watson opened up about why she decided to step away from acting, saying she “wasn’t very happy” and “felt a bit caged” by her profession. Asked directly if she will ever return to acting, Watson answered definitively, “Yes, absolutely.” Read her full comments below:
I wasn’t very happy, if I’m being honest. I think I felt a bit caged. The thing I found really hard was that I had to go out and sell something that I really didn’t have very much control over. To stand in front of a film and have every journalist be able to say, “How does this align with your viewpoint?” It was very difficult to have to be the face and the spokesperson for things where I didn’t get to be involved in the process. I was held accountable in a way that I began to find really frustrating, because I didn’t have a voice, I didn’t have a say. And I started to realize that I only wanted to stand in front of things where if someone was going to give me flak about it, I could say, in a way that didn’t make me hate myself, “Yes, I screwed up, it was my decision, I should have done better.”
Yes, absolutely. But I’m happy to sit and wait for the next right thing. I love what I do. It’s finding a way to do it where I don’t have to fracture myself into different faces and people. And I just don’t want to switch into robot mode any more. Does that make sense?
Emma Watson’s Break From Acting Explained
Rumors about Watson retiring from acting in order to focus on her personal life and partner first surfaced more than two years ago, and people were understandably shocked and upset. However, the rumors originated in a U.K. tabloid that claimed her career had gone “dormant.” Watson’s manager quickly debunked the retirement rumors saying that while her “social media accounts are dormant, her career isn’t.” However, there was the added caveat that Watson would be stepping away from acting and wouldn’t be taking on any new projects for the foreseeable future.
Fast-forward a few years, and this is the first time Watson has opened up about her break from acting in her own words. Based on her comments, it sounds like Watson felt pigeonholed going on press tours promoting projects she had virtually no creative control over and decided she needed to make a profound change in her life. Emma Watson seems certain she will return to acting someday, and when she does eventually return, it sounds like she will be more selective by only starring in projects she feels passionate about.
Source: Financial Times
Unexpected Team-Up: Prince William and Emma Watson Unite for Change
Prince William had plenty to celebrate this weekend, but his latest public appearance quickly turned heads for a very different reason. After marking his 44th birthday and Father's Day with his family, the future king returned to royal duties—and made a surprisingly personal confession about the emotional toll of climate change.
William joined Hollywood stars Emma Watson and Benedict Cumberbatch at a United for Wildlife forum in London, an initiative he launched with the Royal Foundation in 2013. The organization works around the world to combat wildlife trafficking, environmental crime, and the destruction of endangered species.
But it was William's candid admission about his own fears that stole the spotlight.
The Prince of Wales revealed that climate change has caused him "sleepless nights," admitting he has struggled with anxiety about what the future could look like. Yet instead of allowing those fears to overwhelm him, William said seeing real progress through conservation efforts has helped keep his environmental anxiety under control.
He also delivered a powerful message to business leaders, urging them to become the kind of leaders they admired when they were children. With technology and innovation transforming the world at an incredible pace, William challenged CEOs to use their influence to create meaningful change.
The event launched London Climate Action Week, with more royal appearances expected, including the Earthshot Prize assembly.
Emma Watson also delivered a surprising revelation of her own. The Harry Potter star highlighted the fashion industry's enormous environmental impact, pointing out that it produces more emissions than aviation and ranks behind only oil among major polluting industries.
Watson, who is also pursuing a doctorate in philosophy at Oxford, shared a hilarious story about mistakenly believing paparazzi were following her. After spotting photographers with telephoto lenses, she arranged a distraction and escaped through another exit. The twist? They weren't photographing her at all. They were waiting to capture a red kite.
Meanwhile, Benedict Cumberbatch praised William as "a great guy" and urged businesses and individuals to recognize that they can still make a difference, even when global environmental challenges appear overwhelming.
With William, Watson, and Cumberbatch joining forces on the issue, the London forum delivered a clear message: the fight against environmental destruction is becoming impossible for the world's biggest names to ignore.
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