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An unexpected journey - Emma Watson’s journey to becoming one of the most recognizable women in the world began when she was only nine years old. She was picked out of a lineup to win a role in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time.

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Ready for success -

At the time, she was an ambitious girl attending one of the UK’s most prestigious boarding schools. Both of her parents are lawyers and there was little doubt that Watson had the means and the talent to achieve greatness.

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Acting from a young age -

Watson was convinced that she wanted to be an actress at the age most kids want to be unicorns and dinosaurs. Her parents sent her for acting lessons with Stagecoach Theatre Arts from the age of six.

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A natural talent -

She showed herself to have a natural talent for acting and won prizes for her poetry recitals. When she was nine years old, her theater coaches reached out to an agent to suggest they look at Watson for a role in an upcoming movie based on the 'Harry Potter' books.

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The 'Harry Potter' auditions -

Watson was accepted as a candidate and made it through her first audition, and then the next, and the next… She was made to do eight auditions for the role, performing alongside multiple different candidates for the role of Hermione.

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The big news -

She was called in by producer David Heyman who informed her that she’d gotten the role. The media descended almost immediately!

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The first photo - She was shuffled together with her equally young and inexperienced co-stars Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint for a photo op. It captured the moment their lives would change forever.

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The first movie explodes -

‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone’ broke records by earning US$33.3 million at the US box office on its opening day. Watson’s face instantly became recognized in every country around the world.

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The madness begins -

She would go on to have one of her first (incredibly awkward) kisses under spotlights and in front of cameras and crew. She could no longer leave her house or hop on the train without fear of being hounded by intrusive media and avid fans.

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Staying grounded - In an interview with Vogue in 2019, Watson reflected that she’s incredibly lucky that she made it through with her sense of self intact. “I feel sane, and feel normal and myself. I think I’m the most proud of that. Because sometimes I look at it all, and I go, ‘I was lucky to come out the other side of that.’”

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Not too cool for school -

Watson managed to keep up with her education during the decade she spent working on the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise. She and her co-stars would receive five hours of tutoring per day while on set, and Watson was able to achieve high scores in her exams.

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Emma Watson hits the Ivy Leagues - In 2009, while still working on ‘Harry Potter,’ Watson was accepted to the prestigious Brown University in the United States to study English literature. She graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in 2014, having taken two full semesters off for her acting work.

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'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2' (2011) -

When the final ‘Harry Potter’ movie was released in 2011, she began the difficult task of shedding her child star image and redefining herself as Emma Watson rather than Hermione Granger.

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Playing a symbol -

Watson understood that Hermione was a symbol to millions of girls around the world, including herself. She carried such meaning as an icon and an inspiration that people have struggled to separate Watson from her defining character.

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Separating Emma from Hermione - Watson told Vogue, “Even people that are really close to me sometimes can’t let it go. Or see just me.” She often has to explain that she is just as human as everyone else, just as insecure, and needs the same things.

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The new Emma -

In 2011, she shocked fans by cutting off all of her hair and going for a dramatic new pixie cut. This was the first step towards creating her new image and evolving her public persona.

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Breaking into fashion -

Watson had already built a reputation as a fashion icon, and this took her to the next level. She appeared on the cover of Vogue and landed a commercial for Lancôme perfume.

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Ethical fashion and activism -

Never satisfied to go with the status quo, Watson used her platform and her status in the fashion world to promote sustainable and ethical fashion. She became an advocate for a campaign called Good For You. It aims to inform consumers about sourcing clothing from brands that use ethical methods of production.

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Finding her feet - After graduating from college, shaken by a rough breakup from her college boyfriend, she was a bit unsure what to do and where to settle herself. She felt torn between cities like New York and LA, and couldn’t decide where she should live. Watson then decided to find a different way to ground herself.

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Hitting the mat -

In 2014, Watson decided to become a fully trained yoga instructor! This is something many people don’t know about her. She explained her reasoning: “I need to find a way to always feel safe and at home within myself. Because I can never rely on a physical place."

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A silent retreat - In another surprising twist that reveals more of Watson’s spiritual and self-reflective side, she shared that she took a vow of silence for a week at a Canadian retreat.

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A positive and empowering message -

Watson champions the single life and leans into aging, proclaiming the myriad of benefits of both. She promotes a form of self-acceptance that is far more authentic than most celebrities can muster.

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Breaking down barriers - Many of her key beliefs seem to center around being truly comfortable with yourself. She engages in open conversations around sexuality and mental health, topics which were previously taboo for a young female star.

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UN Women Goodwill Ambassador -

Having always shown herself to be a humanitarian with a particular interest in the empowerment of young women, Watson was named a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador in 2014.

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HeForShe -

As part of her work with the UN, she launched an initiative called HeForShe. It aims to include men in the conversation around gender equality.

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The Me Too movement - When the Me Too movement started with a bang in 2017, Watson was very much on board. She donated £1 million (over US$1.3 million) to a charity that supports survivors of sexual assault, and launched a legal advice hotline for those dealing with such crimes.

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Woman of the Year -

In 2017, Watson was named Harper Bazaar's Woman of the Year. She gave a moving speech in which she thanked all of the woman who picked her up and encouraged her when she didn't think she could go on.

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The ideal celebrity - Watson has achieved so much in terms of activism and furthering female empowerment, all the while starring in hits like ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (2017) and ‘Little Women’ (2020). She has managed to maintain a delicate balance between honesty, humility, celebrity, and professionalism.

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How does she do it? -

Emma Watson is a superstar actress, a fashion icon, an Ivy League graduate, an environmental activist, and an outspoken feminist. She’s the hero we all need in the 2020s!

Sources: (Vogue) (Biography) (Cheat Sheet) (ABC) (Vanity Fair)

See also: That's what she said: when female celebs speak out about feminism

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