Interview

BLASBERG: What was your first big splurge when the Potter money came in?

WATSON: Hmm . . . I got myself a laptop. I took my dad to Tuscany. He works so hard, my dad, so I rang up his secretary and asked when he was free, and I booked us a holiday. What else? Oh, I got myself a car.

BLASBERG: I saw the car. I think it’s very good that Hermione Granger drives a Prius.

WATSON: I got my license last year, and I love the Prius, even if my friends say it’s ugly. They say I drive a brick. And, to be fair, it’s not the prettiest car on the road, but it’s good for the environment. It’s sensible and boring—like me.

BLASBERG: It’s polite and efficient, like you.

WATSON: Yes, I am the Prius of my peer group.

BLASBERG: You’ve said previously that after the Harry Potter films are done you’re not sure you’ll continue to be a full-time actress. I personally thought that comment got a lot of unwarranted criticism. When I was 9, if someone had asked me what I wanted to be forever, I would have said a pirate, or a fire engine. Can you imagine if someone held me to that?

WATSON: Ha! I was a little bit shocked by people’s responses, too. Maybe it’s because, at the moment, there are so many people who want to be famous, so how could I not want this? Or, how could I not want to keep it forever? But I guess I just want to be sure it’s what I want. I was so young, and I don’t think I really knew the greatness of what I was signing on for. I really want to study. I would love to try theater. I need to try stuff out. But I say all this now—I’m sure I’ll still be here in 10 years, making Harry Potter 30.

BLASBERG: Maybe you could play Hermione’s mom?

WATSON: Oh, don’t! That would be so cringe! Don’t you think people would be bored of seeing me in Potterworld by then?

BLASBERG: Not only that, it’s probably tiring being Hermione. I was on the set with you, and those are long, long days. What time are you there every morning?

WATSON: At the moment, we’re there at about 6:30 a.m., which means I’m picked up at about 5:45 a.m. We’re filming both the seventh and eighth movies at once, and I’m trying to do all of my scenes now and through the summer so I’ll be available for university come September—though it already looks like I’ll be working on Christmas and March breaks.

BLASBERG: In these next two films, are most of your scenes with Dan and Rupert?

WATSON: Yes. In the last book, they’ve left Hogwarts, and they’re traveling around together. It feels right that it started with the three of us and it’s ending with the three of us. It’s about our friendship.

BLASBERG: How are you with those young men off set? Are you friends?

WATSON: To be honest, we see so much of each other when we’re working that hanging out together would be overload. I love them, but I need to see other friends off set. They’re like my siblings now.

BLASBERG: You three have this weird shared experience, though. There’s no one else who will truly know what it was like to grow up in these roles, in this franchise, in this sudden fame, like the three of you do.

WATSON: I completely agree with that, but we’re three different people, too. We will always be very important to each other. But, at the same time, after eight Harry Potter films, we’ll be ready to go and do other things, and be other people, and have time for ourselves.

BLASBERG: Can you imagine that last day of shooting?

WATSON: I can’t. I will be . . . uncontrollable. It’s been half of our lives. It’s made us, it’s formed us. It’s such a big part of my life, so it will be really sad—and so much of the crew who have been there since the beginning are like my family.

BLASBERG: Like your lovely driver, Nigel.

WATSON: Yes, I love Nigel! You know, he drove me to that first audition, and he’s been drivingme ever since. He’s like my best friend—he knows everything about my life. If you have to sit in the car with someone for two hours a day, you had better like him! I get very jealous when he drives someone else.