Emma Watson Considered Leaving Harry Potter After Goblet of Fire
Watson was ready to call it quits at one point in her career because of too much fame and recognition.
The Harry Potter franchise is undeniably one of the most iconic cinematic sagas of the century. Each instalment of the narrative, chronicling the adventures of the Boy Who Lived and his friends, drew in multitudes of viewers and generated billions in global box office revenue.
As a result, the actors who played the central trio - Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson - were catapulted to instant stardom, becoming some of the most talked-about celebrities globally following the release of the first Harry Potter movie. But constantly being in the spotlight at such a tender age took its toll.
Remarkably, this level of fame endured. For a decade, the three actors remained at the epicentre of public attention, with legions of fans hanging on their every word and action. The young stars were understandably unprepared for such an intense spotlight, having their personal lives scrutinised and feeling obligated to interact with their fans regularly. It appears that Emma Watson, in particular, found the fame more challenging to handle than her co-stars. She contemplated quitting the franchise altogether after the fourth instalment, Goblet of Fire.
According to Watson herself, she began to comprehend the immense pressure associated with starring in the films while shooting Goblet of Fire. Consequently, she considered exiting the Harry Potter universe to prioritise her mental health.
‘The fame thing had finally hit home in a big way. I could see that at the time, I was lonely... I think I was scared," Watson said in HBO Max’s Harry Potter special.
Thankfully, Watson mustered the strength to stay with the franchise until the completion of the primary narrative arc. Hermione Granger was instrumental to the success of Harry Potter, and fans would undoubtedly have been disappointed had the actress been replaced.
Given that Emma has not appeared in a film since 2018, it appears she eventually decided to take a break from acting. She likely wanted to focus on other pursuits, possibly still coping with the relentless pressures of fame.