In a new interview on Parade.com, Emma talks about declining acting roles to focus on school, possibly doing theatre next summer, leaving home, and the joys and sorrows of university life.
I get some amazing offers to act, and sometimes it’s hard to say, “No, I’m going to stay here and do my homework.” People are like, “What do you mean she’s not available?” I may do some theater next summer, but this college experience is really important to me, and I won’t give it up for anything. I’m not going to school just for the academics–I wanted to share ideas, to be around people who are passionate about learning.
Being at Brown has totally taken me out of my comfort zone. I’m so proud that I went to a different country to study and really spread my wings. My dad was very set on me staying in the U.K. and going to Cambridge. So my decision to go to university in America kind of came out of nowhere for my parents. It took a while for my dad to come round, but they both said they would support me if it was what I wanted.
I didn’t call home for three months. I’d send text messages, but it was too hard to pick up the phone: I’d just burst into tears. Dad told me, “Be yourself and you’ll be fine.” My mom was more like, “Make sure you wear a warm coat.” She sent me thermals and English chocolates.
My days as a student are structured so differently from being on a movie set, where I had people constantly telling me what to do. When you’re filming, someone needs to know where you are every second of the day; here no one tells me what time I can have lunch, when I can go to the bathroom. It’s incredibly empowering and liberating. My friends think I’m crazy because I get so much joy out of really simple pleasures like staying up late talking or deciding to go for a walk. And bagels–they’re the best thing ever! Americans just love variety; there’s so much choice, it’s overwhelming. But I love trying the blueberry and raisin and cinnamon bagels. Luckily, I exercise a lot.
Fun is something I’ve undervalued in the last 10 years [when she made 10 films, including eight Harry Potters]. I never made time for it, yet it’s so important to your health and general happiness. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I have to learn to be good at having fun.
There have been days when a magic wand would have come in handy. I had serious issues with the code on my locker–remembering the numbers and how to turn it one way and then the other. I would be there for 15 minutes on the verge of tears because I couldn’t open this bloody locker to get my mail!
The amazing thing is that everyone here is interested in their own lives, so they aren’t nosy about mine. I’m used to people being intrusive and gossipy, but I can be anonymous. My best friend at Brown has never seen a Harry Potter movie or read the books. And one guy I dated didn’t know anything about the films, much less that I was one of the stars, which I found hilarious.
It’s taken me a year to figure out that I should trust people and let them in a bit more. At the beginning I felt slightly like I was living two lives, as if I was schizophrenic. Slowly but surely, I’m letting the people I trust and love see more of me as a complete person. They’ve been surprisingly understanding and respectful. I’ve been lucky–really lucky.
The boy is maybe…Rafael Cebrián 😉
If I were gay I'd be in love with her.
huh i find it a tad strange that something that's been so important to her for the majority of her life (harry potter) is just completely absent from the people she gets along with. i think i can understand that for now, but never even hearing of the movies? that's a bit ridiculous, and like emma said, hilarious. 😀
The Quiz is eternal! I left it with 31 scores… At the begining of part 3! 😕
@Sarah: I think, yes, while it is weird, that it's better for Emma like that. I mean, that's exactly just how she came to be so grounded 🙂
haha. i totally understand the guy. if you had asked me more than a year ago who's Emma Watson or what Harry Potter is all about, I'm telling you, i wouldn't have been able to answer you. I completely have no idea who Harry potter is, much less what it was about until January 2009. But now, ask me anything and I'm pretty sure i'd have at least the vaguest idea. The same goes with Emma. I completely didn't know she existed until that time. 😀 But i'm glad that i know now. My day isn't complete without her and harry potter! 😆
It seems like Emma is really having fun over here in the US. 😆 I am not that surprised to hear that there are people who don't read/watch or have even heard of Harry Potter. The latter sounds surprising, but it happens. She says she might do some theater next summer. Hopefully she is able to. 🙂
Absolutely amazing girl. One of a kind. I sense she might be a bit like Natalie Portman, who also valued her education and put acting on the shelf while she was at university. I find Emma absolutely fascinating. She is SOOOO vastly superior to the Los Angeles crowd of _____________(fill in blank). She's even different from most British starlets. She seems astonishingly wise and self-directed for her age and her near constant exposure to fame, publicity, modeling, attention of all kinds–not to mention millions and millions of dollars. One of a kind. Great, great girl!
i think its sad..she seems so happy about leaving the harry potter world, which she seemed to love! and its kinda scary to hear that now she can feel free and spread her wings , i mean, was life in the wizarding world really that blocking up? rupert says he felt very cozy and fine, daniel also and she and tom felton are complaining…its sad, though.
I know exactly what she's talking about when it comes to locker frustration 🙂 I'm glad people at Brown are treating her well but I was *very surprised when no one really knew about Harry Potter? I still have to wrap my mind around the fact that she's 10 hours away from me 😛
She's got good taste in bagels. <3 Blueberry and Cinnamon Raisin.
"…yet it's so important to your health and general happiness. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I have to learn to be good at having fun." Thats really wise 😕