The actor has opened up on her decision
Emma Watson has been an inspiration to a generation of young women thanks to her performances in Harry Potter as the loveable know-it-all Hermione Granger.
The actor, model and feminist featured in all eight of the films before ending up with Ron Weasley, which might have been enough to put anyone off acting for good.
However, Watson has since featured in films such as Beauty and the Beast, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and most recently Little Women in 2019, before taking an acting break in order to complete her studies at Oxford University.
Emma Watson as Hermione Granger (IMDB/Warner Bros)
Despite her return, Watson made it clear that in the films she has appeared in thus far, and may well feature in in the future, her character shouldn't be seen doing drugs, or in the nude.
In an interview with The Times, the British star said: "I’m not going to get my kit off or snort cocaine in a film, just to leave Hermione behind. I’m not going to do something shocking because I’m so paranoid or insecure that I can’t play another role convincingly. I don’t want everyone to forget me as Hermione. I’m really proud of her.”
Emma Watson has opened up about her acting decisions (Arnold Jerocki/GC Images)
However, in another interview with The Scotsman, she admitted that she would consider nudity if the role was right for her.
She said: “I’ve been saying since I was 16 that if it’s an interesting character and important for the character development, and of course if it’s important to the story, then I’ll do it because I’m an actress and that’s it really."
Watson has also been open about doubting her own acting abilities, as it can often be difficult for a child actor to ever escape their first role, especially for a global phenomenon such as Harry Potter.
Speaking to Jonathan Ross all the way back in 2012, she said: "I didn’t know if I believed in myself yet as an actress, outside the role of Hermione, which I knew I could do, and I did for a long time.
"I didn’t know if I had other people in me or not. I did doubt myself a little bit. I think I’d just played one person, who in many ways was similar to my own personality, and I played her for ten years and I got so comfortable doing that, that the idea of coming out and playing somebody else was terrifying.”
Here's hoping that whoever is selected to play Hermione in the upcoming HBO series can also be a positive role model for young women across the world.
Featured Image Credit: TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images
