Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson was born to Jacqueline and Chris at 6.00pm on 15th April, 1990 in Paris, France. Jacqueline and Chris both work as lawyers. Emma, her parents and her brother Alex (three years Emma’s junior) moved back to England when Emma was five years old. Emma grew up in Oxfordshire but now lives in London during her university holidays.
In September 1995, at the age of five, Emma attended Lynams School, the nursery school for the prestigious Dragon School in Oxford. Emma first demonstrated her talent for acting at Lynams School when, at the age of seven, she won the Daisy Pratt poetry competition for her recital of The Sea by James Reeves.
In September 1998 at the age of eight, Emma moved to the main Dragon School where she would spend a very happy five years between films. In 1999 at the age of nine, Emma was given the opportunity to audition for a role in the upcoming Harry Potter film. The rest, as they say, is history.
In 2000 when she was ten… read more
Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson was born to Jacqueline and Chris at 6.00pm on 15th April, 1990 in Paris, France. Jacqueline and Chris both work as lawyers. Emma, her parents and her brother Alex (three years Emma’s junior) moved back to England when Emma was five years old. Emma grew up in Oxfordshire but now lives in London during her university holidays.
In September 1995, at the age of five, Emma attended Lynams School, the nursery school for the prestigious Dragon School in Oxford. Emma first demonstrated her talent for acting at Lynams School when, at the age of seven, she won the Daisy Pratt poetry competition for her recital of The Sea by James Reeves.
In September 1998 at the age of eight, Emma moved to the main Dragon School where she would spend a very happy five years between films. In 1999 at the age of nine, Emma was given the opportunity to audition for a role in the upcoming Harry Potter film. The rest, as they say, is history.
In 2000 when she was ten, Emma began filming for the first time with 11 year old Daniel Radcliffe and 12 year old Rupert Grint. She was extremely nervous! But, she had no reason to fear as, on its opening day, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone broke records all over the world and Emma won great critical acclaim for her performance as Hermione Granger.
Ten years and six films later, Emma continues to play the role she has made her own and is currently filming the last two films in the series Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2. During this time Emma’s global popularity has won her many awards such as the AOL Moviegoer’s Award for Best Actress (won on two occasions and runner-up on another) and countless magazine covers. She was the youngest actress to grace both the covers of Teen Vogue (2005) and the UK’s Tatler magazine (2007) and has since appeared on covers and in magazines such as V, Italian Vogue and Elle.
In 2007 Emma accepted her first role outside of the Harry Potter films playing Pauline Fossil in the BBC’s drama Ballet Shoes. The drama was incredibly well received and was viewed by a staggering 5.2 million people. The following year, Emma voiced her first animated character (playing opposite Dustin Hoffman, Sigourney Weaver and Matthew Broderick) with the role of Princess Pea in Universal Pictures’ The Tale of Despereaux.
Her education remains a passion equally close to Emma’s heart and she has continued to excel in all aspects of school life particularly exams! Aged 13 years old she joined Headington School in Oxfordshire and went on to achieve eight A* and two A Grades in her GCSE Examinations at the age of 16. In 2009 Emma achieved three A levels in English Lit, Art and Geography, and an AS level in History of Art.
She is of course now studying for a Liberal Arts degree in Ivy League Brown University in the United States and she is about to complete her first year which she describes as “the most fantastic experience”. Emma has fully immersed herself in all aspects of university life and in March of this year she appeared in the role of Irina in the University production of Chekhov’s Three Sisters.
Emma is also widely respected for her knowledge and interest in fashion, and for the support she has given the British Fashion Industry. She has twice been chosen by Christopher Bailey to feature as the face of Burberry in their Autumn/Winter campaign in 2009 and Spring/Summer campaign in 2010. As well as appearing on the cover of numerous magazines she has been photographed by the world’s top fashion photographers including Karl Lagerfeld, Mario Testino, Nick Knight and Patrick Demarchelier.
Emma has also worked closely with organic and fair trade pioneer People Tree, helping founder Safia Minney develop a teenage range for Spring/Summer 2010. As well as promoting fair trade and organic fashion, Emma has been heavily involved in the design and look of the company’s Spring/Summer range 2010 and is credited as Creative Adviser. Her relationship with People Tree continues as she collaborates with the company on their Spring/Summer collection for 2011.—emmawatson.com
