Hermione Granger may have followed every rule to a “T” but it seems Harry Potter actor Emma Watson has been banned from driving for six months.
What happened? According to the BBC, Watson was caught speeding and has been made to pay a total of £1,044 at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. Watson’s lawyer Mark Haslam, told the court, “She is in a position to pay the fine.” No doubt it’s a small dent in Watson’s pocket, the actor is reportedly worth $85 million thanks largely to her role as Hermione Granger, prefect at Hogwarts and Harry Potter’s best friend.
It is reported that the actor had nine points on her license before the incident occurred and was caught driving a blue Audi at 38mph in a 30mph zone in Oxford on July 31, 2024.
Watson did not attend the five-minute hearing, and so far her representatives have not given a comment.
Emma Watson has been out of the public eye for the last few years and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in creative writing at the University of Oxford, which she began in 2023.
She rose to fame when she was 10 years old following the 2001 release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which she starred in alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint.
She appeared in eight Harry Potter films, and her adult roles include movies such as Beauty and the Beast, Sophia Coppola’s The Bling Ring, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Her last film role was in the 2019 Greta Gerwig remake of Little Women, in which she appeared alongside Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, and Timothée Chalamet.
Recently, media coverage around Watson has centred on her and Daniel Radcliffe’s ongoing conflict with author J.K. Rowling, who has made a series of transphobic comments over the last few years. Both Watson and Radcliffe have been outspoken in their support of the transgender community, which makes up a large portion of the Harry Potter fan base. In 2020, following comments from Rowling Watson released a statement saying: “Trans people are who they say they are and deserved to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are.”
Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley, and Eddie Redmayne, star of Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, have also spoken out in support of the trans community.
In 2021, it was reported that Wastson was officially stepping away from acting, with Daily Mail reporting that her agent had shared she was going “dormant.” The publication translated: “[it] appears to be movie-speak for she’s given up acting.” At the time, it was speculated that she wanted to focus on her relationship with long-term boyfriend Leo Robinton. The couple have now broken up. While the ELLE Australia office remains divided about whether Hermione should have ended up with Victor Krum or Draco Malfoy, it seems that Watson wants to focus on her studies for now. Hopefully, she can keep her lead foot under control.
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