Emma Watson misses acting, but not this 'soul-destroying' part
What's the story
Emma Watson, the acclaimed actor known for her roles in the Harry Potter series and Little Women, recently opened up about her hiatus from acting. In an interview with Hollywood Authentic, she revealed that while she misses the art of acting, she doesn't miss its promotional aspects. "A bigger component than the actual job itself is the promotion and selling of that piece of work... I do not miss selling things. I found that to be quite soul-destroying," she said.
Acting joy
What she misses about acting
The 35-year-old said, "But I do very much miss using my skill set, and I very much miss the art." She added that she misses rehearsing for a role and getting into character. "The moment you get to talk through a scene...and then the minute the camera rolls, and getting to just completely forget about everything else in the world other than that one moment - it's such an intense form of meditation."
Acting pressure
On pressures of acting
Watson also spoke about the pressure that comes with acting. She recalled feeling stressed when she did a small play for her friends in recent years. "I was like, 'Bl**dy hell, this is stressful!' And that wasn't even for a real public audience or anything," she said. Now, Watson said she's "maybe the happiest and healthiest" she's ever been.
Actor's insight
Thoughts on being an actor
Watson shared her thoughts on the duality of being an actor. "I think what's interesting about being an actor is, there's a tendency to sort of fracture yourself into multiple personalities." She added that this includes not just the roles you play but also the public persona that needs constant attention and glamorizing. "It's very energy-intensive stuff," the Beauty and the Beast star said.
Future endeavors
Watson is 'working on something that I've never done before'
Despite her hiatus from acting, Watson hinted at new projects. She said she's "working on something that I've never done before," but didn't give any details. She also mentioned that stepping back from acting has allowed her to focus on being a better sister, daughter, friend, granddaughter, artist, and person. The last time she appeared in a feature film was in 2019's Little Women.