The REAL Reason Why Emma Watson Took A Break From Hollywood: 'I Felt A Bit Caged'

In a recent interview, Emma Watson said she stopped acting because she felt frustrated with a lack of control over the films she promoted. 

Although the "Harry Potter" alum has taken a break from the big screen, she recently made her directorial debut with an ad campaign. Also, she revealed plans to direct a music video for a well-known artist.

The 33-year-old has been spending time at her family's vineyards, working as a creative partner for their gin and wine company, Renais.

Read on to learn more.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Emma Watson revealed why she hadn't been seen in a movie for quite some time. The "Harry Potter" alum stated that she "wasn't pleased" with the way Hollywood works. "I think I felt a bit caged," she said.

Sharing the most challenging aspect for her, Watson said, "The thing I found hard was that I had to go out and sell something that I didn't have much control over. To stand in front of a film and have every journalist be able to say, 'How does this align with your viewpoint?'"

"It was tough to have to be the face and the spokesperson for things where I didn't get to be involved in the process," she revealed, per Insider. "I was held accountable in a way that I began to find frustrating because I didn't have a voice; I didn't have a say." Watson also mentioned that she only wanted to be the face of projects where she had a level of control, allowing her to take responsibility for any criticism she may receive.

As a result of her misgivings about Hollywood, Watson has been absent from the big screen since her starring role in "Little Women" in 2018. However, this does not mean she has been idle, as the actor has pursued other creative ventures. In 2022, Watson wrote and directed an advertising campaign for Prada's Paradoxe fragrance.

Watson also revealed that she has received suggestions to direct and produce projects in the past, even during her time on the "Harry Potter" films and in Disney's live-action adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast."

The actress said that when she helped her brother and friends ask for favors with their "photoshoots and videos" she realized her passion for directing.

Watson also revealed that she will be directing a music video for a famous artist, though she has chosen to keep his identity a secret for now. However, she hinted that the public would "definitely have heard of him."

Despite her hiatus from acting, the "Beauty and Beast" star has confirmed that she has no intention of leaving the industry. "I love what I do," she stated firmly. "It's finding a way to do it where I don't have to fracture myself into different faces and people. And I don't want to switch into robot mode anymore."

Since stepping away from the acting scene, Watson has been spending more time at her family-owned vineyards in the picturesque Chablis region of France. The actress has been relishing her role as a creative partner at Renais, the family's gin and wine company. "But now that I'm not making films yearly, there's more time to play with. Getting involved with the gin's creative side has been fun because I have a voice and can bring everything I've learned to help," She explained.

As a shareholder in the family company, Watson has been working closely with her brother Alex, an expert on gin, and her father, a wine expert. As the creative partner, she oversees the gin's artwork, design, and imagery, ensuring everything feels personal.

"I couldn't bear to let someone else do it because it's our family, our history," she explained. "We have to sell a product, but I think it would have hurt my soul if it had been done in a way that didn't feel personal."

Despite being new to the industry, Watson is confident in her family's product and looks forward to the journey ahead. "I'm sure we'll make mistakes. But I can vouch for Alex. I know who he is. I've seen what this is. I've picked the grapes myself."