Emma Watson: I have spent more of my life being someone else than I have being myself

Emma Watson is ready to “figure out” who she really is. The 21-year-old actress — who was cast as brainbox Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series when she was just 11 years old — admits working on the franchise has ruled her life over the last decade and she is now looking forward to making her own decisions.

“Not a single second of the day was in my power. I was told what time I’d get picked up, what time I could eat and when I could go to the bathroom,” she said.

“I have spent more of my life being someone else than I have being myself. I’ve always had a strong sense of who I am and what I want, but I do need to spend more time figuring that out.”

Among the ways the movies have affected her life was Emma’s decision to put her studies on hold last year.

The British beauty was two years into a liberal arts degree at America’s prestigious Brown University but left because it was too much of a struggle combining her school work with promoting the final two films in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2.

“I was commuting back and forth between the US and the UK trying to fulfill my commitment to this enormous Harry Potter franchise and it just wasn’t feasible. I’m only human,” she said.

“I wasn’t getting the best out of either my studies or the filming, so I decided to give a proper goodbye to 10 years of work and resume my studies later.”