Fans of Emma Watson have been caught completely off guard after learning about her new and unexpected “side quest” away from the spotlight.
Watson, who became a household name playing Hermione Granger in the beloved Harry Potter films, has been in the public eye since she was just 10 years old. Her portrayal in the wizarding world made her an icon for an entire generation.
After wrapping up all eight of the Harry Potter movies, which were based on J.K. Rowling’s bestselling novels, Watson expanded her film career. She took on major roles in several well-known films, including Little Women, Beauty and the Beast, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and The Bling Ring.
Her most recent film appearance was in the 2019 adaptation of Little Women. Since then, Watson has stepped away from acting to focus more on academics. She’s now pursuing a master’s degree in creative writing at Oxford University — the same historic city in the UK where she was born and raised.
And it seems like she’s diving into student life wholeheartedly. Beyond her studies, Watson has also taken on a rather unexpected role at the prestigious university as part of one of its sports societies.
Emma Watson had taking a step back from acting in recent yearsRobino Salvatore/GC Images
It looks like Watson has become the coxswain for a rowing team at Oxford. In photos published by Mail Online, she was spotted at the bow of the boat belonging to the New College women’s third team during a late-May outing.
She kept her look subtle and low-key. Wearing a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses, a white cap, and a sleeveless white polo shirt along with a life jacket, she blended right in with the rest of the crew.
Pics from that day made their way onto Reddit, where longtime Harry Potter fans were both surprised and delighted to see what she’s currently doing with her time.
One fan referred to her unexpected involvement in rowing as an ‘insanely random side quest’. Another chimed in with: “Imagine Emma Watson just randomly being your coxswain?”
Many others applauded Watson for embracing a more ordinary and grounded hobby. They admired how she seems to be living life in a refreshingly normal way.
“You know what, good for her. Finding a sport or hobby you love is wonderful,” somebody said.
“I love how she’s just off doing her own thing, going to school, and going on these little side quests,” echoed another Redditor.
A third added their thoughts: “I love how normal she is,” while another fan called her unique extracurricular activity “awesome” and praised her for staying true to herself.
Watson’s last movie role was in 2019’s Little WomenDave Benett/Getty Images for Violet Films
In a January 2024 issue of Vogue, Watson reflected on her decision to take a step back from the film world. She shared that she’s truly content with the space she’s created for herself now.
“I’m just so glad that I did [step away from acting] because I have this feeling of having my own voice and creative space and sovereignty in some way that I don’t think I did before – more autonomy,” she said.
“I’m so glad that I allowed things to be messy for a minute and to really allow myself to not know [what’s next], because the knowing that I’ve come to, I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”