Emma Watson says she misses acting but not the “soul-destroying” demands of film promotion

Emma Watson has spoken candidly about her career, saying she misses the craft of acting but does not miss the intense demands that come with promoting films.

The actress, whose last big screen role was in Greta Gerwig’s 2019 remake of Little Women, reflected on the challenges of balancing artistry with the business side of Hollywood in an interview with Hollywood Authentic.

“In some ways I really won the lottery [with acting], and what happened to me is so unusual,” Watson said. “But a bigger component than the actual job itself is the promotion and selling of that piece of work, this piece of art. The balance of that can get quite thrown off. I think I’ll be honest and straightforward, and say: I do not miss selling things. I found that to be quite soul-destroying.”

Watson explained that while she misses using her skills on set, she often felt there was little opportunity to enjoy the rehearsal and preparation that made the work fulfilling. "I miss that profoundly. But I don’t miss the pressure,” she said.

Although she has stepped back from acting, Watson revealed she is currently “working on something that I’ve never done before” but did not provide further details. She added that despite pausing her career, she “is maybe the happiest and healthiest I’ve ever been.”