For the past seven years, we’ve equated Emma Watson with Hermione Granger. But recently, Emma has followed in the footsteps of her Harry Potter costars, Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe, by moving on to other movie roles. First up: Ballet Shoes, a TV movie for the UK’s BBC. (US fans can check it out September 2 on DVD!) We chatted with Emma about slipping into her new role, working without the Potter boys, and much more.
So what was it like doing something other than a Harry Potter movie?
It was wonderful. It was really nice to do something completely different. Obviously, we did it for the BBC, which is a British television channel. It was done in a TV format, so it was completely different to being on a massive big Hollywood blockbuster. We shot four scenes in one day and we were working six-day weeks. It was much more the crew and it was very different but I absolutely loved it. It was different.
What was it like working without Rupert and Daniel?
It was nice to be with lots of girls. It was a really nice change because usually on Potter I’m with guys all the time and I was with Lucy [Boynton] and Yasmin [Paige] and Emilia [Fox] and Victoria [Wood] everyday. That was really nice. It was lovely.
How did it feel doing a more straightforward film with no special effects?
Yeah, that was actually lovely. That was really nice not to having to worry so much about the technical aspect of it, just focus on the acting.
What was it like playing Pauline as opposed to Hermione?
One of the great things is that in playing Pauline, I got to dress up and be much more girly. She’s an actress, I got to dress up as Alice in Wonderland and there’s a part in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Then she’s in this film that’s a period piece, so I got to wear a corset and an old dress and a wig. I got to have so much fun with all the ’30s make-up. It was really good fun to do something that was out of school uniform and out of jeans and a t-shirt and something completely different. It was lovely.
Who do you relate to more: Pauline or Hermione?
It’s such a hard question because I relate to both of the characters so much. I relate to Pauline in terms [of] her experience, this overnight fame that she experiences is very similar to what I went through when I was younger; her insecurities and how to try to be an actress and worrying what people will think, or if she’s any good. I don’t know. I can really relate to all of that side of her, but then also with Hermione, I relate to wanting to escape and books and school work. I’m also quite a tomboy, so I relate to that. She’s very determined and loyal. I really relate to both of the characters.
Each of the girls in Ballet Shoes has a special talent. What’s yours?
I actually love arts. I love to paint, I love to draw.
What made you wait until recently to take on another role?
I had other parts that came up, but I just didn’t want to do anything for the sake of it. It’s important that I take on other roles, just generally, because otherwise people will just think of me as Hermione for the rest of my life. But I just wanted to wait for the right thing and something that I really wanted to do. I work so hard, and I’m in school, and I’m doing publicity. I’m keeping myself so busy as it is. It had to be something that I really wanted to do. Luckily, Ballet Shoes was short enough that I could fit it in between publicity for Harry Potter, school work, and obviously filming. I was just lucky that it worked out like that.
What kind of parts would you like to play in the future?
There’s nothing in particular that I’m looking for. But Pauline, in order to audition, she does some Shakespeare and she’s in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. For that, I got to read Puck’s speech from a A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I [would] actually really love to do some Shakespeare. I’d love to do some stage work. I’d love to try that. I actually sing as well, so I’d love to do a movie where I got to use that or, I don’t know, anything! I’m very open. There’s nothing in particular that I’m chasing after.
A while back, there was a rumor that you were the new face of Chanel. Do rumors like that get spread about you a lot?
Yeah, I do feel like sometimes the papers just wake up one morning and they don’t have anything to write so they’re just saying, “What shall I write about today?” I don’t know how to compare it with the American tabloids, but it’s pretty dire over here. They just write whatever they really feel like. But generally I keep out of [the tabloids]. I’m working so much, I’m at school so much, I’m on publicity so much, I don’t really have time to get chased around by the British tabloids, so it’s all right.
What’s the weirdest thing that’s been said about you in the press?
There’s been nothing that weird. They just report that I’m gonna be in different films that I’ve never even heard of before or that I’m pretty much attending every single British public school in England, which of course I’ve never even heard of or stepped foot in it. It’s reported every week that I’m dating someone different from the Harry Potter cast, of course. Generally, I think they have you dating a different guy every week. It was like a three week period, which was quite funny — nothing very hurtful or harmful. I’m quite lucky. Just in general not having the facts straight.
What’s up next for you?
I’m applying to university in September. I want to study English literature.
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