Portrait · David Shankbone / CC BY 2.0

Emma Watson

Actor and director

Born 1990

Emma Watson is a British actor and director whose early fame as Hermione Granger grew into a career across literary drama, animation, comedy and musical film. She was born in Paris to lawyer parents and moved to England after their separation. Her childhood combined ordinary school life with a public identity that developed exceptionally early. In Oxford she attended the Dragon School and took Stagecoach performing classes. Casting for Harry Potter began when she was nine. In later interviews she described the unusual pressure of growing up under public observation, alongside a continuing interest in education and storytelling. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone introduced her Hermione in 2001, beginning the screen collaboration with Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint. The series continued through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 2011. Alongside Potter, she portrayed Pauline Fossil in the television adaptation Ballet Shoes. Animation brought the voice of Princess Pea in The Tale of Despereaux. My Week with Marilyn cast her as Lucy. Sam in The Perks of Being a Wallflower gave her a contemporary coming-of-age role. Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring cast her as Nicki. This Is the End used her own name for a comic screen persona. Darren Aronofsky’s Noah introduced her Ila. Regression cast her as Angela Gray. Colonia placed her in the role of Lena. Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast cast her as Belle in 2017. The Circle provided the contrasting role of Mae. Greta Gerwig’s Little Women followed with Meg March in 2019. She pursued university education alongside professional acting and graduated from Brown with an English literature degree in May 2014. UN Women appointed her a Goodwill Ambassador that July, linking her public work to young women’s empowerment and HeForShe. Her appointment followed involvement in girls’ education, including visits to Bangladesh and Zambia. She later moved behind the camera for Prada Paradoxe, directing and starring in its 2022 campaign short. This was commercial brand work, distinct from a verified personal fragrance recommendation. Renais is another commercial undertaking: she and her brother Alex co-founded the gin business, which connects their family’s Burgundy winemaking with production in England. In December 2023 she described creative writing study at Oxford. In September 2025 she discussed a new, unnamed pursuit and her wish to stay connected with the filmmaking community. She missed aspects of acting while finding promotional obligations difficult. Pickleball and Brandi Carlile’s music appear in that same personal account. Vogue’s September 2026 report documents her Lucas Museum appearance, where she collaborated on a handmade floral dress. The checked current coverage establishes this public activity without supplying a new acting credit.

Verified identityCore facts checked against named sources.

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Connected people

ConnectionDaniel RadcliffePotter screen collaborator.

ConnectionRupert GrintPotter screen collaborator.

ConnectionSofia CoppolaDirected The Bling Ring.

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