Interview

BLASBERG: I find it intriguing that you started this journey when you were 9. How did you even know about the books?

WATSON: My dad used to read them to me before I went to bed and while on long car journeys.

BLASBERG: So then you just went to an open call?

WATSON: No, there was no open audition—they went all over England to find these characters, and not just drama schools. They came to my school and asked if they could put forward a group of 20 children between the ages of 9 and 12. They took my photograph in the school gym, and then I got a call three weeks later.

BLASBERG: What happened between that gym photo and the first day of shooting?

WATSON: It was a long time—eight auditions . . .

BLASBERG: Did you meet any of the other girls who were going out for the parts?

WATSON: Yes! I won’t say the name, but there was this girl who had already done a film before. I can remember just crumbling at the sight of her, thinking, “She’s been in a film before, and she knows how to do this. I have no chance.” Even worse, one time I came to the studios, and she was there playing cards with one of the other boys auditioning for Harry—not Daniel
Radcliffe. And I was like, “Oh, my god, they’re making friends already! I’m definitely not going to get it.” I was so, so upset.

BLASBERG: I bet those two have pictures of you and Daniel Radcliffe on their dartboards now.

WATSON: Probably. But I wanted it so badly.

BLASBERG: Why? Because you wanted to be in movies and be famous, or because you identified with that role?

WATSON: I loved the books—I was a massive fan. I just felt like that part belonged to me. I know that sounds crazy, but from that first audition, I always knew. At the beginning, they were
casting the other characters as well—but I always knew I was going out for Hermione. She came so naturally to me. Maybe so much of myself at the time was similar to her. Of course, all this terrified my parents—there were literally thousands and thousands of girls going out for the audition, and my parents were anxious about what I would do if I didn’t get it.

BLASBERG: I’m sure they were like, “What are we going to get her if she doesn’t make it? A pony?”

WATSON: They were trying to make me stay realistic—but I wasn’t having any of it. I was going to get that part. This is a sweet thing: My dad did a roast on a Sunday, and he gave me the wishbone, and I obviously made the wish that I would get this role. I still have that wishbone upstairs in my jewelry box.

BLASBERG: It’s been a pretty effective good-luck charm. And now you’re not only doing movies, you’ve become chums with Karl Lagerfeld. How is that friendship going?

WATSON: I’d met Karl a few times before, at parties or something where we really couldn’t talk. But this was a dream come true. We spent the whole day together, and he can talk about anything—literature, art, science, modern culture. I was totally seduced. I felt spoiled to be spending so much time with him.

BLASBERG: Now that you’ve made a little bit of money, are you spending it all on fashion?

WATSON: I don’t really buy designer stuff. I have a few nice things, but I don’t really have the occasion to wear couture too often. When I’m in a situation where I do need to dress up, I’m

typically lent something—which means I have to give it back at midnight, like Cinderella.