Emma Watson is opening up about the challenges she faced as an actor after Harry Potter.
The actress, who grew up on the beloved franchise, reflected on how her early years on set shaped her expectations of the film industry and left her unprepared for the realities of working outside that world.
Speaking with Jay Shetty on the Sept. 24 episode of his On Purpose podcast, Watson explained, “It's so unusual to make a set of films for 12 years. We were a community, we really were. So I took that as an expectation into my other workplaces, and I got my ass kicked. I really did.”
The 35-year-old shared that the strong friendships she built with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton and others made her believe that every set would bring the same kind of lifelong bonds.
That wasn’t the case, and the disappointment cut deeply.
“That was a very painful experience for me outside of Harry Potter and in Hollywood, like bone-breakingly painful,” she admitted, noting that many people in the industry don’t step onto a set looking for friendships.
Watson became emotional as she described the toll of navigating more competitive environments.
“It broke me, but in a way I’m proud that it did,” she said through tears. “I guess that means I have something left to break. I have a heart left to break.”
Despite the hardships, she acknowledged that the experience gave her perspective on what matters most.
“There's something that I'm proud of in a way, that there were certain things I couldn't withstand,” Watson reflected. “I'd much rather keep my humanity.”
Her comments highlight the contrast between growing up in a close-knit franchise and later facing the cutthroat pace of Hollywood.
Though she last appeared onscreen in 2019’s Little Women, her words show the lasting impact of her journey from child star to adult actor, one that continues to shape both her career choices and her sense of self.
