Actress Emma Watson has recently spoken out about why she decided to step away from acting after her role in the 2019 film “Little Women”. In a recent interview with The Financial Times, Watson revealed that she was not happy with the demands of the acting industry.
“I think I felt a bit caged,” said Watson, who is best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films. “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.”
Watson added that she found it “difficult” to be the “spokesperson” for projects where she never had a say in the creative process. “I was held accountable in a way that I began to find really frustrating, because I didn’t have a voice, I didn’t have a say,” she said.
The 33-year-old actress also expressed her frustration with being asked to defend her projects in interviews. “To stand in front of a film and have every journalist be able to say, ‘How does this align with your viewpoint?'” she explained.
Despite her struggles, Watson is not completely done with acting. “Yes, I am happy to sit and wait for the next right thing,” she said. “I love what I do. It’s finding a way to do it where I don’t have to fracture myself into different faces and people.”
Watson also revealed that she will be directing a music video for a yet-unnamed musician, giving her the chance to have more creative control over a project.
The interview follows Watson’s recent announcement that she is stepping back from social media, citing the need to “reclaim privacy”. Watson has previously been vocal about her support for issues such as gender equality and environmentalism, using her platform to advocate for causes she believes in.
While Watson’s decision to step away from acting may come as a surprise to some fans, her candor about the challenges of the industry sheds light on the pressures that actors can face in promoting their work. As Watson looks for ways to pursue her passion for acting while maintaining her autonomy, it will be interesting to see what projects she takes on next.
