Emma Watson Harry Potter Beauty And The Beast

And thus is stepping into another role as a beloved nerdy girl. Hermione and Belle are probably the two most well-known bookworms in pop culture — and it turns out they have a lot more in common than their mutual love for the written word:

Wondered, “What other female character spends all her with her nose in a book?” The best they could come up with was Hermione.

Because Belle and Hermione are both beautiful women who love to read, everyone thinks they’re weird — obviously. Hermione is ostracized by her peers (including her future husband Ron Weasley) in J.K. Rowling’s first

Emma Watson 'beauty And The Beast' News: 'harry Potter' Actress Confirms She Will Play Belle

, “Look there she goes that girl is strange, no question. / Dazed and distracted, can’t you tell?” People are the worst.

While Belle shows her affection for the Beast, a creature who repels most, Hermione is kind to the gentle giant Grawp, half-brother of Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper. Grawp, however, never turns into a handsome prince.

When Belle comes to Beast’s castle, she finds an enchanted world where teacups and candelabras can sing and dance. Hermione is a muggle whose first major introduction to the magic is at Hogwarts where the ceiling can change from night to day and ghosts wander the halls.

Emma Watson's Best Roles Since Harry Potter

The Beast’s home and Hogwarts? They’re both massive, old and awesome magical castles. Emma Watson will feel right at home on the

Remember when Belle appears at the top of the stairs in a billowing yellow dress before her dance with the Beast? Remember when the

Happens on top of another staircase as Hermione shows up in that gorgeous dress to the Yule Ball? They even have the same hairstyle! Here’s a reminder:

Emma Watson's Song Number In 'beauty And The Beast' With A Mix Of 'harry Potter' Franchise Reference?

Belle defends her beloved horse, while Hermione is always a helper to the house elves (RIP Dobby). She even launched a Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare.

Gaston, a detestable human being, is relentless as he hits on Belle. Hermione, too, must suffer through the amorous advances of Cormac McLaggen at Potions Professor Slughorn’s holiday party. Both are smart enough, of course, to run away from their loathsome suitors.

Don’t tell these ladies where they can and cannot go. Belle wanders into the forbidden west wing of the castle even though the Beast warns her not to do so. Hermione passes off an autograph from Professor Gilderoy Lockhart as a note that allows her to enter the restricted section of the library in Hogwarts.

The Beauty And The Beast Director Has Shut Down The Rumours That The Film Includes...

Hermione makes fun of Ron for eating like a slob, just like Belle throws shade at the Beast for eating his oatmeal like, well, a beast.Belle from Beauty and the Beast and Hermione Granger from Harry Potter are by no means the same character, but they share a few key qualities. Both are young girls who love reading and have compassion for all life.

(Though, as a die-hard Potterhead, I will interject here and say Hermione loves reading because she loves learning about the real world, and Belle loves reading because she loves escaping it. So, not quite the same.)

Still, the connection is undeniably there. In her cover story interview for the March issue of Elle UK, Emma Watson revealed that connection is one of the things that drew her to the iconic Disney role.

Emma Watson On 'ellen', Matthew Lewis And Tom Felton On 'beauty And The Beast' Red Carpet

For me, 'Beauty' was the perfect, most joyful thing to do... There was something connected about Hermione and Belle, and it was good to be reminded that I am an actress; this is what I do. The film is pure escapism.

Fans looking for even more of a Harry Potter connection to Beauty and the Beast got another tiny shoutout in the most recent clip from the upcoming Disney film.

This phrase is very familiar to anyone who's watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone every time it's Harry Potter weekend on Freeform.

Which Harry Potter Movie Was The Hardest For Emma Watson To Watch?

Considering Watson played Hermione for a solid decade (from 2001 when Sorcerer's Stone came out to 2011 when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 came out), it makes sense to be drawn to similar roles.

Harry Potter fans might remember her abrupt departure from the rule-abiding Hermione Granger with her role as Nicki, a rebellious teenager who robs celebrities for fun,  in the 2013 film The Bling Ring.

Read the full interview with Watson in the March issue of ELLE UK out February 14, and catch Beauty and the Beast in theaters March 17.

Emma Watson Net Worth: Her Fortune And How Much She Earned For The Harry Potter Saga

Demi Lovato’s Style Evolution Shows She’s Been Ahead Of Every TrendBy Jordan Murray 'SATC' Fans Are Living For Samantha's Short But Fabulous 'AJLT' SceneBy Dylan Kickham Miley Included A Subtle Disney Shoutout In Her Used To Be Young VideoBy Dylan Kickham