British Actress Emma Watson stars as the cover girl for the November 2008 issue of Canadian magazine Flare! The “Lady In Waiting” - in which the mag editors has titled their editorial on Watson, is GORGEOUS!
Read the interview and enjoy the photograph scans!
“Lady in Waiting”
Juliette Baxter catches up with Emma Watson, England’s “It” Girl and newest trend-setter, as she graduates from Harry Potter to Hollywood. Photography by Lorenzo Agius.
Finally, a young starlet who doesn’t suggest she’s “just a regular girl” who happens to be living the dream. Emma Watson, 18, more commonly known as Hermione Granger from the billion-dollar Harry Potter franchise, would have a hard time convincing us she’s anything but extraordinary. She’s one of the top earning young stars in the world, reportedly pocketing $4 million [note from bravelittletoaster: that would be Canadian dollars] a movie; she’s starring in the animated feature The Tale of Despereaux (look for it next month) alongside Hollywood heavyweights Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick; she’s a red-carpet fave, sporting Chanel couture often and effortlessly; she’s finished her A Levels (that’s senior year in the U.K.) with A+ marks; and she considers Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling an inspiration–and a friend.
“[Rowling's] always told me I remind her of herself, which is so unbelievable because she’s so amazing,” says Watson, stumbling over her words and the comparison. The best advice she’s received from the woman she personally calls “Jo” came when Watson confided in Rowling regarding a major life decision (which she remains elusive about): “Trust yourself. I know you will succeed at anything you do.”
The evidence of her success is compelling. At nine years old, she was among thousands of girls vying to play the coveted role of Hermione and her eagerness to thrive at the character slowed down shooting during Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. “I wanted everything to be so perfect. I would work so hard to memorize my lines and the scene; we would have to stop shooting because I was mouthing Rupert [Grint]’s and Dan [Radcliffe]’s lines at the same time. That’s something I had to get over.”
Seven years later, the young actor has graduated to blockbuster star status. She’s learned to position herself in her best light, she’s stopped looking straight into the camera, she knows the different between the key grip and a dolly, and she’s just wrapped one of her most challenging scenes in the highly anticipated Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, slated for release in July 2009. “I had to cry for the first time when Hermione watches Ron kiss Lavender. It was difficult to bring up all that emotion and hurt in front of a full crew, and not just once, but over and over again from different angles.”
Watson’s not only grown as an actor but also a burgeoning style setter. She’s quick to rhyme off her favourite labels: Chanel, Burberry, Alexander McQueen and Balenciaga. “I don’t like to look too perfect,” she says. “I like to mix and match my own outfits.” She’s especially proud of the vintage outfit she pulled together with her mom and Harry Potter costume designer Jany Temime for the London premiere of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. (Rachel Zoe, eat your heart out.) She confessed one of her style inspirations is Molly Ringwald in the ’80s flick Pretty in Pink. “I just love the way she put things together. It’s so different and unexpected.”
Most importantly, during her tenure playing a role as iconic as Princess Leia in Star Wars, Watson’s mastered the media, us included. “What advice would you give teen queen Miley Cyrus?” Diplomatically, and empathetically, she replies: “I would never tell anyone what to do. All I know is that it’s hard, really hard [being famous]. Once you’ve invited the media into your life, you have to live with it. Focusing on school helped me get through it.”
While some young stars are chewed up, spit out and left to negotiate fame on their own, the guiding hand of Warner Bros. studios helped Watson remain levelheaded. She explains Harry Potter movie execs were aware from the beginning they were going to change the course of her life and were sensitive to her needs: since the start, Watson has had the same driver, Nigel (“I just love him”), and on-set Potter hair and makeup team (“They’re there first thing in the morning until I take off my makeup at night”); when going out somewhere very public, bodyguards are willingly provided; and shoots are scheduled around her classes and exams, without question. “The publicity department was also very mindful about which media we [Watson, Radcliffe (Harry) and Grint (Ron)] were exposed to. They would send us on media junkets together so we could rely on each other.”
While she talks, it’s clear Watson finds comfort in her costars. “They’re very protective,” she says, and together they’ve survived the juggernaut of overnight fame, media scrutiny and the pressure of carrying the weight of the Harry Potter industry. Watson adores their friendship, in and out of character, because both are so honest. “I have a lot of guy friends. I love that I always know where I stand with them.” Although destined to headline with Radcliffe and Grint for another two years, she’s aware her life as she knows it is shifting. “I am in a transitional period in a lot of different ways. I am changing and making lots of decisions about my future. It’s a very exciting and slightly scary time.” And there’s plenty of speculation buzzing in the blogosphere about her next move–she’s planning to go to Cambridge; she’s reportedly becoming the poster girl for a major fashion label; and she is set to star in Napoleon and Betsy, as the object of the French emperor’s affection, a role originally offered to Scarlett Johansson. Whatever happens next, you can bet we will all be watching.
- All photograph scans and transcripted interview is thanks to Emma-Watson.net forums and website. Special thanks to original posters Naveed and bravelittletoaster for the scans and transcript.
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