Emma Watson will always be beloved as the brilliant Hermione Granger, but even the brightest witch in Hollywood has faced some rocky times at the box office.
Lately, film buffs on TikTok and X have been diving deep into movie history, and a surprising realization about Watson’s career trajectory is going viral. It turns out that between and , the actress was caught in a massive critical and audience slump on Rotten Tomatoes – and her epic biblical drama, “Noah”, was a major part of the problem.
While “Noah” was considered a commercial success, grossing over $ million worldwide, its release marked a tough period for Watson that she would not officially break until five years later.
Inside the Great ‘Noah’ Divide
Directed by Darren Aronofsky, “Noah” brought the biblical story of Noah’s Ark to life with an all-star cast, including Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, and Watson as the orphan Ila. While professional critics generally praised the movie, giving it a percent Tomatometer rating, moviegoers felt very differently.
“Noah” currently holds a dismal percent Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes. According to fans, the massive disconnect came down to the film’s lack of faithfulness to the original Book of Genesis. While viewers agreed that Watson gave a stellar performance, many felt the overall story strayed too far from its source material.
Unfortunately, this was just the tip of the iceberg for Watson during this era. Following her role in ‘s “The Bling Ring”, she starred in a string of poorly received films, including “Regression” (which sits at a painful percent on the Tomatometer), “Colonia”, and “The Circle”. Even the live-action “Beauty and the Beast” in , while commercially massive, left many fans feeling underwhelmed compared to her early “Harry Potter” days.
The Masterpiece That Ended It All
Fortunately, every good story has a redemption arc. In , Watson teamed up with director Greta Gerwig for the star-studded adaptation of “Little Women”, playing the gentle Meg March alongside Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, and Timothee Chalamet.
The film was an absolute triumph, earning a spectacular percent critical score and a percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Not only did it garner six Oscar nominations, but it also officially shattered Watson’s multi-year dry spell, cementing itself as one of her highest-rated projects of all time.
Will We See Emma on Screen Again?
Despite the massive success of “Little Women”, Watson has not appeared in a feature film since. In a candid interview with the Financial Times, the actress opened up about her decision to step back from the camera, admitting she felt “a bit caged” by the industry.
“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,” Watson explained, expressing how difficult it was to be the public face of projects where she lacked creative input.
While her current hiatus has left a void in Hollywood, the star has assured fans she would “absolutely” return to acting if the right project comes along. Until then, fans are busy celebrating her iconic filmography – slumps, triumphs, and all.
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.
Be the first to comment on this article!