“I’d love to have a library with long letters and a ton of books”
We know her best as the bookish, sensible Hermione by Harry and Ron’s side in the now ubiquitous Harry Potter series. Although she ends up with Ron at the end of the series, romance and musical are not necessarily genres one would attribute to the actress. She also remains a staunch humanitarian and advocate for gender equality as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador. Seeing her for the first time in a musical on big-screen, we appreciate how she has stayed true to a character as beloved as this one. Here’s more on the versatile actress and her new role.
Emma, what was it like to dance with the “beast”?
Emma Watson: It was great fun. But I felt so sorry for Dan (Stevens) He was dressed up like the Michelin Man, and then he was put under a very hot light and told to dance. That poor man must have been miserable in that costume. It was tough to just get him hydrated.
What was that like for you, Emma? To work next to a guy that was on stilts all the time?
EW: Well, I know how to work with green dots enough. I did that with the Harry Potter movies plenty. I should have a PhD in that field now (laughs). I am lucky to have a big background dealing with magical creatures.
Were you a fan of the original?
EW: I was a huge fan of the original. Before I auditioned for the movie, I knew all the lyrics to the original songs. I knew all the characters and most of their lines.
What is the message for you in this movie?
EW: Embrace differences is a big part. The big message for me was the idea of Belle being a woman who is able to see deeper. She can see the good in places where others can’t. It’s almost some sort of superpower she has.
It’s a good message in days like these, where there is so much uncertainty and hate, don’t you think?
EW: Absolutely. Belle has this innocence and curiosity that she doesn’t give up throughout the movie. It’s really cool to see. She refuses to be influenced. She remains open minded, compassionate. For her to see a beast and to go beyond being afraid of him. And she wants to learn. I think that’s a great message that a lot of people will resonate with.
You are very educated and you love to read. You have that in common with Belle, right?
EW: Belle and I do have that in common. My dream would be to own the library that she visits. That’s my day dream. I’d love to have a library with long letters and a ton of books.
What is it about this love story that resonates with you?
EW: I remember when we worked on the script in the beginning. Beast and Belle had a connection, and that was important to me.
“I love that they were at odds and enemies in the beginning, and then they became friends. Only then were they able to fall in love. I think that’s a great way to fall in love.”
And the fact that they both love books…
EW: Yes, exactly. That is a great way to connect them. This is how they bridged their gap.
Which characteristics of a modern woman did you add to this role?
EW: It’s hard for me not bring the consciousness to a woman like Belle. I felt the responsibility to bring these elements out in Belle. I didn’t want to change Belle’s character, but she always wanted more than what people expected her to do. Belle wants more. And I want more. Making her real was important to me. I expressed my point of view as strongly as I could without getting myself fired.
How much fun was it to sing in this movie?
EW: Is there a more beautiful musical ensemble than there is in Beauty and the Beast? It was a privilege for me to sing these songs.
Did you know you could sing?
EW: I did. I put it to bed for a while because the acting thing took off. But then this came up as a musical. I auditioned for this, and really fought to get this. I always loved to sing.
What do you like about singing?
EW:
“Singing is so much more vulnerable than speaking. As an actor you can hide behind a character. But when you sing it’s your voice, it’s really you.”
No hiding possible.
Did you wear a corset for this movie?
EW: No, I did not. We made sure that she had pants under her skirt so she can ride a horse. She has proper riding boots. It’s extremely practical.
How did it feel to get into the yellow dress for the first time?
EW: I was so concentrated not to break my or Dan’s neck when shooting this, that the famous yellow dress moment was slightly eclipsed by just me being terrified so much. Don’t forget Dan was on stilts when we danced the waltz. And they were made out of steel.
INTERVIEW: SUZY MALOY / THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE
PHOTOGRAPHS: GETTY
