Emma Watson says she doesn’t miss the soul-destroying side of Hollywood

Emma Watson told People magazine that she does not miss the soul-destroying side of Hollywood, even as she acknowledged missing aspects of acting. The 35-year-old “Harry Potter” star reflected on her career and what she has left behind since stepping back from on-screen work.

Watson said there were parts of the job she is happy to leave behind, particularly the promotion and selling of a project. "But a bigger component than the actual job itself is the promotion and selling of that piece of work, this piece of art," she said. "The balance of that can get quite thrown off." She added: "I do not miss selling things. I found that to be quite soul-destroying."

Watson first rose to global prominence at age 11 as Hermione Granger in the first Harry Potter film, earning a place in one of the franchise’s best-known ensembles. She appeared in all eight installments, turning 21 when the final film was released in 2011. After the franchise, she continued to land high-profile roles, most notably as Belle in Disney’s 2017 live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast, and Meg March in 2019’s Little Women. She has spoken in the past about missing the artistic pursuit behind those parts while acknowledging the demands that accompanied their promotion. "But I do very much miss using my skill set, and I very much miss the art," she said. "I just found I got to do so little of the bit that I actually enjoyed."

She also described how the industry’s press and public-life expectations can be a drain on energy. "The public persona often requires constant feeding and sprucing and glamorizing. It’s very energy-intensive stuff. And shedding the multiple identities has freed up so much space, I think, for me to be a better sister, daughter, friend, granddaughter and then artist," she explained, adding that the shift has allowed her to think more critically about her life and work.

Watson’s comments come as she reflected on a career that began in childhood and has straddled mainstream blockbusters and more private pursuits. The actress noted that she values the craft itself and the opportunity to tell stories, even as she remains selective about future projects.

In October 2022, Watson’s Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton released his memoir, Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard, with Watson penning the foreword. In the foreword, Watson described a close and enduring friendship with Felton, writing that the two have always "loved each other in a special way" and describing him as a soulmate in the sense of a deep, uncomplicated connection. "You know that person in your life who makes you feel seen? That person who is somehow a witness to all that unfolds? For me, that person is Tom Felton."

Watson has continued to press the pause button on full-time screen work while exploring other avenues and continuing to engage with fans and cultural conversations around media and power. Her candid remarks about the balance between art and commerce underscore a broader discussion in Hollywood about sustainable paths for actors who began as children and now seek longer-term professional and personal stability. While the public’s interest in her next on-screen project remains high, Watson’s current frame is clearly about choosing roles that align with her values and balancing the demands of fame with the need to sustain creative energy and time for family and friends.

The actor’s reflections align with broader conversations among peers who started their careers young about the pressure to maintain a public persona, the burnout associated with constant publicity, and the evolving ways performers navigate risk, privacy and artistic integrity in a changing industry. Watson’s stance—recognizing the art while questioning the necessity of promotional gauntlets—adds a measured voice to those discussions as she continues to shape a career on her own terms.