Emma Watson

Interview By: Michael Dance
MichaelDance@TheCinemaSource.com

Emma Watson is a talkative young woman who's the first to admit she's similar to Hermione Granger, the straight-A student she's played in all four previous Harry Potter movies. Cast for the role when she was only ten years old, she has grown up gracefully into a poised seventeen year old. This month marks the opening of the fifth Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

"It's really funny, we get asked a lot about growing up, and being on camera, and growing up in the limelight, and that sort of thing, but it's a really funny question for us, because we can't see ourselves from the outside, if that makes sense, it's a bit like trying to look at it from a different perspective," she says. "So it's a bit funny. But I mean yeah, sometimes I feel like I barely have to act, because I feel so close to my character, and I feel like I know her so well, and I think we're quite similar in a lot of ways, so my job isn't too hard really. I'm quite lucky."

She is, of course, but one in a trio that consists of Daniel Radcliffe as Harry and Rupert Grint as Ron. "We've all grown up together. I'm, well, all of us are a teeny bit older than our characters, so it's nice in a way, because we get to experience what are characters are going through before them. So we kind of know what it's like to go through that experience, and then we can apply it to what we're doing in the film. So it works quite well, really."

Throughout the filming of the five movies, there has refreshingly not been any child-star tantrums or cast unease. "We're friends, you know' If I'm having boy troubles, I'll occasionally go and chat to Dan and Rupert, and say 'WHAT is going on here, I do NOT understand...' Just sort of friendly banter and friendly advice, just generally just supporting each other, I guess."

As always, the trio is surrounded by a nurturing cast and crew, many of whom have been involved from the very beginning. Order of the Phoenix does, however, mark the fourth new director of the series, David Yates, who previously worked in British television. "There were no introductory rituals," Watson laughs off when asked if any hazing took place. "I don't know, it's really nice. A lot of the cast and crew have been on the films...for all four or five years. So there's a nice sort of friendly, family thing about it, hopefully it's not too intimidating for newcomers, 'cause everyone's kind of family."

Watson prepared for Yates in the only way that felt appropriate: homework and research. "I felt a bit nervous working with David, just because I thought, well, I don't know this guy, I'll go and watch some of his previous work. And just looking at the films that he's done, The Girl in the Cage, and Sex Traffic, just the performances he got out of the people in those pieces of work are just like, 'Oh my goodness. How am I ever going to live up to that sort of standard'' Just acting quality, and how real everything was."

It turned out she did just fine (many critics are noting that this film marks the teenagers' best work) and working on the set was fun. One scene in particular had all three actors and Yates in stitches. "David just filmed me laughing in hysterics," she says. "Dan and Rupert both stopped, and I was still going."

Grint, sitting next to her, jumps in: "I was quite scared, actually," he deadpans.

"I was on the floor, just laughing, and David just filmed me, all of it," Watson continues. "So my laughter is really genuine. And I just think it's a scene that sort of brings together our real friendship and our characters' friendship, and it just works together and comes together beautifully."

"Part of life's rich tapestry," Radcliffe, sitting on the other side of her, says, grinning.

"Yes, exactly!" she says.

In Order of the Phoenix, the kids are now fifteen years old. That can be an upsetting and confusing time for anyone, not least Harry himself, who last year saw a friend get murdered and was almost killed by his arch-enemy Voldemort. So Watson finds it altogether appropriate that the Harry of this film is a bit more tempestuous than previously. "You have to consider that this is a boy who never knew his parents, who's living with the Dursleys, which is anyone's worst nightmare, and he's been completely isolated from everything and everyone. It's probably quite lonely. No one in the world will ever understand what it's like to be him, going through what he's gone through. He's world famous, everyone knows who he is. Considering all of that, it's [an accomplishment] that he's actually sane, and that he is a really nice guy, and he isn't more screwed up or self-centered, and you know, just not completely gone off the rails. He's a survivor, and he's fighting a pretty strong fight."

Watson remains pretty down-to-earth for a girl who's spent her entire life in the spotlight. "I guess what was difficult for Harry was that he'd lived all his life as a normal boy, and suddenly he found out he was a wizard and he was famous, and it was something he had to deal with. In a way, it feels kind of easier for me, because in a way it feels like I've never known anything different. I was so young when I first started doing this, and it kind of built up gradually as well, that I've kind of learnt as I've went along the way, just from experience and just sort of built up my confidence in myself and I was able to deal with it."

In light of this, it comes as no surprise that she's handled her monetary windfall from Potter appropriately conservatively, treating herself to no huge indulgences. "I bought myself an Apple Mac, my little laptop, which I love, it's my pride and joy, I've used it so much I don't have memory space on it anymore." She can't help but feel a little jealous, though, by her castmate Grint's own pride and joy: an honest-to-goodness ice cream van. "And it's not just the shell of an ice cream van," she says when he mentions it. "It's got like, the ice cream, the sweets, the toppings. I haven't seen it, I really want to see it."

"I suppose at some point I'll be looking to buy a car," she continues, noting that she's taking driving lessons at the moment. "But to be honest, I'm finding driving so hard, and getting into a car is so intimidating, I can't really imagine myself buying a big fat sports car or anything...I want a smaller engine, something small, something really safe and unintimidating. I'm not really sure yet, but that'll probably be my next big [purchase].

Watson, Radcliffe, and Grint recently all signed contracts that will keep them in all seven Harry Potter films. It was widely reported, however, that Watson hesitated and didn't want to do it; she's said in previous interviews that she wasn't sure she wanted to continue the role. When asked about it, she answers frankly. "I didn't sign the contract immediately because I just needed some time to figure out the logistics, if you can imagine, of making two more Harry Potter films, and combining that with my school timetable. I really want to go on to a university, I really wanted to continue [doing the films], I didn't want to have to give either one up. I was kind of in this really difficult position; it just took a bit of time to figure out how I was going to make that work."

She says the support that Warner Bros. was eager to give her was the deciding factor. "Warner Bros. have been extremely supportive of helping me figure out ways to [make it work]. For instance, they've given me Monday mornings off so I can go to school and I can see my teachers and I can pick up my work. They've provided all the tutors that I need to get all my work done. Even though I'm over the age of sixteen, they're still supporting me, giving me the hours I need to get all of my work done. They have got a box every Friday which I can put my work into, which they'll send back to my teachers, they'll mark it, they'll send it back to me. It just took a while, just to figure out just the logistics of how it was going to work."

She does let a little bit of anger about the situation slip through, however. "I found it quite frustrating and upsetting all the insinuations that were made about why I was holding off," she says. "But I just had to figure out a way to make it work for me, and that took a bit of time."

Watson would much rather talk about the upcoming seventh and final Harry Potter book. On July 21st, ten days after the movie opens, bookstores around the world will be stocked with (or more likely sold out of) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and the fates of all the characters will presumably be revealed. Author J.K. Rowling has said that at least two of her dozen-odd major characters will die. "I'm pretty convinced she's going to make it," she says of Hermione surviving, "I don't know why, but I think she's going to make it. But then in a way, I'm such a big fan of the books...I hate endings that don't wrap themselves up. I don't know, that's really perfectionist of me, I really like endings [with no loose ends], so in a way, it would be nice for there to be some sort of like, this is what happens, that's the end." So...she wants everyone to die' "That's not what I'm saying, it would just be nice to wrap the characters up, so we know which direction they're going in, and hopefully, you know, Hermione will have a really cool career in something or other, or will be doing something, like, really great with her intelligence." Almost as an afterthought, she mentions, "And the Harry/Voldemort connection thing will hopefully sort itself out."

She'll be finding out along with everyone else. "The security on the books, making sure it's kept, is pretty tight. I think we get one [a copy] the night it's released. But not before," she says.

Until then, we have the film to entertain us, and luckily, Watson seems to be more proud of this one than ever, and she has the director to thank. "I guess the thing that occurs to me about David and about this film was, it really made me feel something. It really makes you feel, that sounds weird, but I was really so eager, and so earnest, to live up to his expectations for him to get the best out of me he possibly could. I was really nervous but also really excited, because I thought wow, I really think this guy can take me to a new level, which I think he does with all of us, which is really nice."

She's happy, then, about not seeing the last of Yates. "David's staying on for the next one, [and] having seen the film, it's amazing. It stands alone, but it feels like it's unfinished business, and it feels like he has more to do, and more to say, and it doesn't feel like I've learnt all I can from him. I still feel like there's more that I can learn and get out of him, so it's a really exciting concept."

As for the future, Watson is hesitant to chart a career plan. "This business is completely unpredictable, you know, what films are being made, what work is out there," she says, sounding like quite the seasoned pro. "Ideally I'd love to try some theater at some point, I'd love to do a period drama, I mean, there's loads of different things I want to do. I also really love to sing," she says. Then, fearing that she'll be mistaken for a wannabe actress/singer crossover in the vein of Lindsay Lohan, she abruptly tries to take that back. Radcliffe, however, jumps in before she can move on:

"When's the album coming out'" he teases.

"Yeah, a couple months. That'll be me," she says before profusely shaking her head. "No, don't worry."