Emma Watson January 2023

Changed Emma Watson’s life would be a gross understatement. At nine, she was cast as Hermione Granger in the films. The actor would spend a decade of her life filming and promoting the wildly popular movies. And following the conclusion of the franchise, many people were curious to see what type of roles she’d take on next. But instead of using the traction in her acting career to join other big-budget projects and blockbuster films, she instead decided to focus on her schooling.

Any superfan of Watson knows that she has a passion for education. Like Hermione, the actor absolutely loved to learn and had always dreamed of going to university. In fact, one of the reasons that she nearly quit the

Franchise was because it was impeding her chances to go to school. Thus, when she finally finished the films, she eagerly enrolled at Brown University to pursue a degree in English Literature.

Emma Watson Heads Into 2023 With A Stunning '00s Bob

Actor shared that some people felt as if she were turning down acting opportunities. This, she admitted, angered a lot of people, and she received a lot of criticism.

, I was like, ‘I’m going to school, '” Watson explained. “Essentially, I took five years out to study, doing only a few smaller projects, and, to a lot of people, it seemed like I was passing up a lot of opportunity. I received a lot of angry phone calls.”

But despite the intense calls, Watson has never regretted her choice. She has spoken candidly about how much she enjoyed her time at Brown. It was there that she got to experience some semblance of young adult normalcy. She made friends who didn’t care about her fame and even roomed with a stranger in her freshman year. And while she continued to act in professional projects throughout her tenure at Brown, she also enjoyed doing a school play and auditioning like anyone else.

Film Stars Back Emma Watson In 'antisemitism' Row

“I needed the space to go and explore who I was, without being under the microscope, ” Watson shared about her collegiate experiences. “And I did a play at Brown. I did 

. I loved it. I loved working with other people my age who were figuring it out. As you say, I loved being able to make mistakes. To be able to step away was pretty key.”

Clearly, Watson made the best choice for her life. And considering that she’s continued to book projects big and small since graduating from Brown, we’d say her decision to attend school hardly impacted her career. While the actor hasn’t starred in anything recently, she had hinted at upcoming projects. Only time will tell what role she chooses to take on next.

Emma Watson Hugging Her Mom At The Women's March Is Total Sweetness