Biography of Emma Watson

   

        Emma Watson:

        Emma Watson is best known for playing the character of Hermione Granger, one of Harry Potter's best friends in the 'Harry Potter' film franchise.

   Emma Watson was born on April 15, 1990, in Paris, France, but raised in England. The actress got her breakthrough role as a child in the hugely successful Harry Potter film franchise. Watson grew up on camera as she reprised her role as one of Harry Potter's best friends, Hermione Granger, throughout the entire course of the film series. After committing to the Harry Potter series for a decade, Watson has transitioned into a popular adult model and actress, having appeared in the popular films The Perks of Being a Wallflower, My Week with Marilyn and Beauty and the Beast.

Early Life

     Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson was born on April 15, 1990, in Paris. Her parents, both British lawyers, are Jacqueline Luesby and Chris Watson. Her brother, Alex, was born three years later. Her parents divorced when Watson was 5, and she moved back to Oxfordshire in England with her mother and brother.

Watson attended the Stagecoach Theatre Arts school at Oxford. She studied singing, acting and dancing, and performed in school plays. Her natural instinct for acting first came out when she won a poetry competition for reciting James Reeves' "The Sea" at age 7. Watson had never acted professionally when her theater teachers suggested her to agents looking to cast an upcoming movie based on the first novel of the best-selling Harry Potter series.

A 9-year-old Watson auditioned eight times for the role that would make her an international star. Harry Potter  author J.K. Rowling, who was deeply involved in the film process to make sure it stayed true to the book, wanted Watson for the role of Hermione from her first screen test.

Hermione Granger

Watson sufficiently impressed casting agents and the film's producers, and won the role of Hermione Granger, Harry Potter's smart, bossy best friend and voice of reason. Harry Potter was portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe, and Rupert Grint was cast as Ron Weasley, Harry's other best friend. The trio of British child actors would become known around the globe for their roles as young wizards fighting a battle between good and evil.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was released in November 2001.

Watson's 11-year-old film debut was an enormous success. It grossed more than $974 million worldwide. On opening day in the United States, the film made a record-breaking $33.3 million.  It was nominated for three Academy Awards, and seven BAFTA Awards. Watson's performance received critical praise, and her status as an up-and-coming young film star was made.

For the next decade Watson stayed busy filming the Potter series. In 2002 she reprised the role of Hermione for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, in 2004 for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and continued to star in the eight-part series through the final film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, in 2011.