As the excitement grows for the upcoming Harry Potter TV series, Emma Watson's father, Chris Watson, has issued a warning to the new cast of the beloved franchise.
Speaking on Times Radio, Chris shared his thoughts on the pressures that come with skyrocketing to fame at such a young age and reflected on his daughter’s journey through the Harry Potter phenomenon.
Fame and fortune at such a young age isn't all it is cracked up to be.
A warning from Emma Watson's dad to the Harry Potter TV series cast
He explained: “As a parent, you have to be scared… This can be a very difficult thing for a parent and child to handle, or not," cited by Metro.
Chris went on to discuss how the Watson family managed to keep the actress grounded despite the global fame she gained playing Hermione Granger from the age of 11.
“It certainly helped that I don’t actually watch movies, it’s not a big thing in the house, and so it was easier for us to keep her feet on the ground,” he continued.
“Normal life continued as far as possible: her homework would go back to school on motorbikes, admittedly, but she had to do her homework and check in," he added.
Emma Watson opens up about her break from acting
The now-35-year-old actress has recently spoken out about the pressures she faced during her rise to fame, including a seven-year break from acting.
Her most recent role was in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women (2019).
Since then, she has focused on activism, launched a wine-inspired gin named Renais, and enrolled in a master’s degree in creative writing at Oxford University.
Despite turning down several roles, including one in a live-action Cinderella, Watson revealed in a recent interview with Hollywood Authentic that she misses acting.
“The bigger component than the actual job itself is the promotion and selling of that piece of work, this piece of art,” she explained, admitting that she found the marketing and promotion aspects of acting “soul-destroying.”
She added, “I do very much miss using my skill set, and I very much miss the art.”
In discussing her relationship with acting, the Perks of Being a Wallflower star described it as an "intense form of meditation," where she could "forget about everything else in the world other than that one moment."
However, she confessed that she does not miss the overwhelming pressure that comes with the public side of the job.
“I did a small thing for a play, just with my friends. I was like, ‘Bloody hell, this is stressful!’ And that wasn’t even for a real public audience,” she admitted. "I don’t miss that.”
New Harry Potter TV series in production
Meanwhile, the upcoming Harry Potter television series, which is officially in production, has sparked fresh excitement among fans and cast members alike.
The new series, set to air on HBO, will introduce a fresh generation of actors to portray the iconic characters from J.K. Rowling's beloved world.
Dominic McLaughlin has been cast as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout will play Ron Weasley, and Arabella Stanton will take on the role of Hermione Granger.
Other notable castings include Tristan and Gabriel Harland as Fred and George Weasley, Ruari Spooner as Percy, and Gracie Cochrane as Ginny Weasley.
According to Deadline, the series is slated to air in late 2026 or early 2027. “We’ve not been shy about our excitement around Harry Potter,” Discovery CEO David Zaslav said.