Emma Watson: "Celebrity is a juggling act. You have to take the good with the bad"

Transcripted by Watsonuncensored. Credit if you use it.

Emma, it's such a pleasure to see you again and talk about this film. It's a very interesting story based on real events, so tell us what's real, what's fictionalized?

Well, everything other than the story of Daniel and Lena is true. That really happened, these people really existed. So it's just kind of mine and Daniel's part, and me saving him part, which sadly isn't true. But everything else is based on real life events.

I got really obsessed with it after I saw the film. I went on Wikipedia, researched it, all the real events. The immediacy of it as well, because it's only a few years ago and we're still talking about it.

I know. I think that was the same for me. I mean, people ask me why I did the film and I just kind of got hooked. I kind of like... once you start reading about it, it's so unbelievable almost, that you want to know everything.

I think that's what's been interesting with you and the films that you've chosen. Every time, not only it is a different part, but it's also a completely different environment. Does it keep it exciting for you?

It does. I'm always learning so much, which I love. I think that's one of my favorite part of my job, it's that when you inhabit another human being, you have to learn a completely different skill set, sometimes a different language, a different accent, and that's amazing. You really learn that way.

What's becoming important for you in the issue of being a celebrity and an actor? You know, when you're an actor you're completely immersed in cinema. When you're a celebrity there's like red carpet and things that come with it. How much of it is your life?

I try to minimize the celebrity and go away as far as I can. I think I'm probably also pretty defensive about being called a celebrity because I, you know, I really take what I do seriously and I have a craft, and I have a job, and you know, it's something that I do in order to be famous, and it's a juggling act. And a big part of our job is to promote the work and to get the word out about it and, you know, you have to take the good with the bad.

Absolutely. And you turned it very well because, you know, with the Goodwill Ambassadorship, and all these things, you know how to orient it.

Yes, it's my way to channel it. Exactly! It's all about orienting it, yeah, which has been really helpful.

And I think it's your advantage of starting as young as you do, because you kind of matured in the job, and you know exactly where you're going. Do you look back at those times, you know, when you saw you were so young. I still remember you, you were like 9 years old.

I know, it's crazy. Yeah, it's been such a journey. No one hands you a rule book. You know, when you get a part in a film like this, you're kind of just feeling it as you go. You sort of learn on the job, so it feels a bit... it has at times felt a bit haphazard but I feel like I'm getting there. I've got my hang of the roots. At least a little bit now.

Has this been the most exciting film since the Harry Potter series? I mean obviously the Wallflower was so great, and Bling Ring, and everything. Every experience was different, but which one was most meaningful to you?

Gosh. I really loved The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I really liked the story, I loved the character, I loved who I made that film with. It was a really positive experience making it, and I was really thrilled with the end result so, probably Perks.

Perks was great. And actresses you look up to, you love to watch on screen the same way other actresses love you on the screen?

Gosh. Cate Blanchett, I absolutely love. Meryl Streep, Natalie Portman. I love Julia Roberts, I've loved her forever. I just rewatched Erin Brockovich actually, and it's such a great film. And then there's some amazing... Brie Larson's performance in Room was unbelievable, this one's amazing. Daisy Ridley in the new Star Wars, I thought her performance was wonderful. So yeah, some really great things are happening out there for women in cinema.

It's girl power at the moment.

Definitely! Definitely!

And we like that.

We love it, we love it.

Thank you so much, always great to see.

You too.