The Emma Watson Cinematic Universe

Photos courtesy of Warner Brothers, Summit Entertainment, A24, Walt Disney Pictures, and Columbia Pictures.

Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson was born on April 15, 1990 in Paris, France. She moved to Oxfordshire, England as a child. Her passion for acting began at the age of six. The actress studied singing, dancing, and acting at Stagecoach Theatre Arts in Oxford. After finishing secondary school, Watson took a gap year to finish filming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2. She graduated from Brown University with a bachelors degree in English Literature. Her acting career includes notable roles to which I will be breaking down for you right now.

The Harry Potter Franchise (2001-2011)

Watson’s career took off due to her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter franchise. Hermione is a witch who is best friends with Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe). Hermione is quoted as “the brightest witch of her age” throughout the franchise. Hermione is one of the strongest female characters on the big screen as far as her quick with and ability to use her knowledge in dire situations.

Watson portrayed Hermione throughout the entire franchise and received critical acclaim for her role as the sassy and brilliant young witch. This role is her breakthrough and made her career. Her character is my favorite fictional character of all time and my favorite role of hers.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

After the Harry Potter Franchise jumpstarted Emma Watson’s acting career, she took on roles that were much different from Hermione Granger. In 2012, she starred in Stephen Chbosky’s film adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower as Samantha “Sam” Button. Sam is one of those kinds of people you want as you best friend as well as Patrick (Ezra Miller). She’s kind and supportive. She cares for Charlie (Logan Lerman) in a way that isn’t portrayed a lot on screen.

Watson brings this rawness to Sam which makes the character easy to like. Sam is the complete opposite of Hermione. She’s laidback and unsure of herself while Hermione is confident with who she is.

The Bling Ring (2013)

In 2013, Emma Watson starred as Nicolette “Nicki” Moore in Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring. Nicki is manipulative and loves getting what she wants. She also provides comedic relief. While I wasn’t the biggest fan of this film, I was a big fan of Watson’s performance. It was different than her previous roles and her portraying a character who wasn’t as genuine and kindhearted.

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

In 2017, Emma Watson starred as Belle in Bill Condon’s Beauty and the Beast live-action remake. Many critics were critical of her being cast in this role but when I heard that she was cast as Belle, I was so excited. I thought she was a great choice to bring this role to life. She brought this honesty and sincerity that have been major traits of this Disney princess since her debut in the original film in 1991.

While her singing wasn’t the best, I thought she did a good job. Belle doesn’t have a theatrical voice like Elsa from Frozen or Meg from Hercules. I’ve loved Belle since I was a child. I’ve always identified with her because she’s not like every girl out there. She’s an outsider but she’s not ashamed of it. She embraces it.

Little Women (2019)

In 2019, Emma Watson starred as Meg March in Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women. Meg March is the sister of Jo March (Saoirse Ronan), Amy March (Florence Pugh), and Beth March (Eliza Scanlen). Meg is someone who likes to play by the rules. She’s caring and puts others first like her sisters.

Her Passion for Activism

Watson is no stranger when it comes to activism. She is an outspoken feminist who speaks for the women who can’t speak for themselves. She’s a huge advocate for gender equality and launched a helpline for those who have been sexually harassed in the workplace. Many have called her a role model. I agree. While she’s nowhere near perfect, she tries her best to advocate for women’s rights and I highly respect her for that.

What’s Next For Emma Watson?

We may not be seeing Watson on the big screen for quite awhile. If you remember on Twitter when people thought she was retiring, that was a rumor. Don’t worry. I believe she’ll be acting again. She deserves a break in my opinion since she started working on the Harry Potter franchise when she was around 10 years old.