Emma Watson Was ‘Hanging in Rags’ When She Finished the ‘Harry Potter’ Movies
Emma Watson always knew that she was destined to play Hermione Granger. As a child, she felt a deep connection to the witch when her father read the Harry Potter books to her on long car rides. So, when the opportunity came for her to audition for the role, she didn’t let anything get in her way. Ultimately, her tenacity paid off, and she was cast in the Harry Potter movies. But she never could’ve predicted that she’d shoot eight films.
Emma Watson seriously considered quitting the ‘Harry Potter’ movies multiple times
Though Watson devoted a decade of her life to filming the Harry Potter movies, her initial contract was only for the first two films. The Little Women actor had to make the decision to recommit to the franchise multiple times. And there were a number of instances when she seriously considered quitting. Not only was the fame that she was experiencing difficult to contend with, but Watson had other dreams that she wanted to pursue. For example, Watson really wanted to attend college, and her filming schedule prohibited that from happening for years.
The actor initially wasn’t happy when she learned that the seventh ‘Harry Potter’ book was being split into two movies
Ultimately, it was the thought of someone else portraying Hermione that convinced Watson not to quit the Harry Potter movies. However, she admits to being very taken aback when she learned that there would be eight films rather than seven. When she first learned that the final book was split into two, she believed it to be a money grab. Eventually, however, she was convinced that two films were needed to cover the sheer amount of content in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
But just because Watson understood the need for eight films rather than seven doesn’t mean the experience was easy for her. She’s shared that the final Harry Potter movies were the most difficult thing she’s done in her career. Filming the movies was both physically and mentally demanding for Watson, and she felt completely drained by the time they were finished.
Watson got candid about the exhaustion she experienced while making the final two ‘Harry Potter movies
“Making these two films back to back was exhausting, I mean really exhausting,” Watson shared with JoBlo about filming the last two Harry Potter movies. “I was hanging in rags when we finished shooting.”
It seems that Watson wasn’t exaggerating about how tiring the final Harry Potter movies were. In fact, Watson’s exhaustion sometimes got the best of her while she was still filming. The actor often had to take a bit of a reprieve by napping in between takes. In a conversation with Collider, she got candid about the necessary habit.
“I was so tired, I would fall asleep anywhere,” Watson revealed. “They’ll never be released, but the onset photographer has pictures of me falling asleep everywhere. Like on chairs, on the floor, in the middle of a set, all curled up.” Clearly, making the Harry Potter films was trying for Watson at times. However, the hard work and dedication that she put into the role certainly seemed to translate into her performance.
