Emma Watson Explains Why She Keeps Her Personal Life Private

The Beauty and the Beast (2017) star is all about maintaining her privacy.

In an interview with actress Jessica Chastain for Interview Magazine, Emma Watson reflected on her breakout role in the Harry Potter series. "Dan[iel Radcliffe], Rupert [Grint], and I were kids when we got cast in this fairy-tale series, and what happened to us was kind of a fantasy story in itself," she said. But, she revealed, becoming a household name has it's downsides.

"So the story of my life has been of public interest, which is why I've been so passionate about having a private identity," Watson explained. "When I step into a character, people have to be able to suspend their disbelief; they have to be able to divorce me from that girl. And not having everyone know every single intimate detail of my entire life is part of me trying to protect my ability to do my job well."

Makes sense.

The 27-year-old, who refuses to take selfies with fans, acknowledges the pressure placed upon her as a member of the Hollywood elite, which, she admits can be difficult. But don't think that the stress and anxiety that comes with the spotlight will deter Watson from pursuing her passions as an actor, activist, or whatever it is she decides to be. "I get incredibly overwhelmed, and sometimes feel hemmed in by that, afraid of that," she said. "But I know that if I live in that fear, then my life as an artist, as a human being, really, is over. Ultimately, it will silence me, and it will silence what is in me—which I have yet to explore and uncover."

"No one likes feeling vulnerable and uncomfortable and weak," Watson stated. "But I really have found that it's in those moments when I go there that there's a kind of magic."