Emma Watson has revealed why she continues to reject Hollywood acting roles five years after her last big gig.
The 34-year-old, who was propelled into celebrity status for her role as Hermione in Harry Potter, has not appeared in a major blockbuster since 2019’s Little Women, where she starred as Meg March.
Since then, the 34-year-old has turned her attentions to activism, stating in 2020 how she was keen to ’embrace a role where she works to amplify more voices, to continue to learn from those with different experiences’.
Nonetheless, Harry Potter fans have long asked whether she could make a Hollywood return.
That doesn’t seem to be on the cards in the immediate future, however, with Watson revealing why she continues to reject acting jobs.
Emma Watson has took a break from Hollywood (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
She told the Financial Times last year: “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.
“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.”
In past interviews, Watson has insisted she hasn’t retired from Hollywood for good, so we’ll hopefully see her again before long.
However, what type of role that may be and in what capacity is anyone’s guess.
Speaking with Vogue last December, the Harry Potter star further explained her reasoning behind her hiatus.
When asked about why she has turned down opportunities in recent years, Watson told the publication: “Because I’m in a career that moves very quickly, the decision to take time to do these things felt like a very big decision.
“[Choosing] to go back and write and study and get behind the camera was terrifying for me because I’d never done it before. I had always been in front of the camera; I’d always been an actor.”
The actor doesn’t seem to be making a return anytime soon (TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)
She continued: “I’m just so glad that I did [step away from acting] because I have this feeling of having my own voice and creative space and sovereignty in some way that I don’t think I did before – more autonomy.
“I’m so glad that I allowed things to be messy for a minute and to really allow myself to not know [what’s next], because the knowing that I’ve come to, I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
“I get a front row seat [with] some of the most successful, beautiful, incredible people in the world.
“And when you have that seat it becomes very, very clear that there is just absolutely no level of success that will make you in any way happy or content if you do not like who you are or enjoy what you’re doing when no one’s watching.”
Featured Image Credit: Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images for Prada/Disney
