Emma Watson

Famous from a young age for playing the role of Hermione Granger in all eight adaptations of the "Harry Potter" film series, Emma Watson was one of those rare actresses who enjoyed a balanced, normal life despite being one of the most recognized and highest-earning stars of the franchise. Her meteoric rise to fame was nothing short of magical. With virtually no professional acting experience, the nine-year-old Watson was selected to co-star in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (2001) and was propelled into international stardom with her very first film. Her portrayal of the bossy, miss-know-it-all Hermione was pitch perfect, so it was no surprise when she was recast alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint in subsequent installments.

In her late teens, Watson showed her fans a more stylish, sophisticated side. She became a regular at fashion shows, befriended legendary fashion icons like Karl Lagerfeld and often arrived at red carpet events swathed in haute couture. The fashion house Burberry took notice of the budding fashionista and signed Watson to be the new face of the brand in 2009. With a coveted fashion contract under her belt and worldwide acclaim as one of Harry's brainy sidekicks, the multi-dimensional actress successfully made her way into cinematic history, moving on from her star-making role with high-profile star turns in teen-angst drama "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" (2012), Biblical adventure fantasy "Noah" (2014) and Bill Condon's blockbuster "Beauty and the Beast" (2017).

Born on April 15, 1990 in Paris, France, Watson was raised by her father, Chris, and her mother, Jacqueline, both of whom were attorneys. Living in the City of Lights until she was five, Watson moved with her mother and younger brother, Alex, to Oxfordshire, England after her parents divorced. She first expressed an interest in acting when she was six, which led to studying song, dance, and theatre at the Oxford branch of Stagecoach Theatre Arts. She attended The Dragon School, a renowned prep school in England, and moved on to Headington School, a private all-girls school. She took the lead role in several school plays, including "Arthur: The Young Years and The Happy Prince" (2000). Meanwhile, auditions for "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," the adaptation of J.K. Rowling's popular fantasy-adventure novel, began the previous year. Casting agents discovered Watson through her Oxford theater teacher and asked the budding thespian to audition for Hermione. After eight callbacks, Watson earned Rowling's approval atop one of the most coveted roles in history.

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," which followed the travails of young Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his transition into the world of magic at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, became an instant blockbuster, breaking opening day sales records and was the highest-grossing film that year. Watson, like her co-stars, received critical acclaim for her earnest performance as the Muggle-born, bookish Hermione. Starring again as Hermione in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (2002), critics singled her out above co-stars Radcliffe and Grint, giving her kudos for an admirable performance. In 2004, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" - which veered into darker territory than its predecessors - hit theaters. Watson was appreciative of her character growing into a more assertive role in the series and expressed her continued excitement for playing the character in numerous interviews. In the next installment, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (2005), Watson's performance reached new milestones. The young actress reportedly loved all the arguing between the three teen co-stars, which she felt were more true to character. Meanwhile, the Potter phenomenon even caught the eye of British royalty - Watson appeared as Hermione in a Potter spin-off called "The Queen's Handbag" (2006), a special mini-episode celebrating the 80th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II.

The fifth adaptation of the Potter franchise, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (2007) was another mega-hit, setting an opening weekend gross of almost $333 million worldwide. Watson's star kept shining brighter - in the same year, she and fellow wizards Radcliffe and Grint left imprints of their hands, feet and wands in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. In spite of the financial success of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," all three teen stars expressed hesitation in continuing their roles for the final two adaptations. The media speculated that she played hard-to-get in an attempt to increase her paycheck, rumored to be in the $4 million-a picture-range. Watson quickly explained that she hesitated because signing on for two more films represented another four-year commitment on her part. She eventually signed for the role after conceding that she loved Hermione's character so much that she couldn't bear someone else playing it.

Like many child superstars, Watson grew up on the film set and under the scrutinizing glare of the media spotlight. But unlike many of her contemporaries who became infamous for partying, drinking, and drug use, Watson managed to keep her life balanced and private. She credited strong family ties for keeping her grounded, as well as the support she received from her co-stars Radcliffe and Grint, both of whom she said had grown to be like her siblings. More notably, she shared a love of learning with her on-screen alter ego. She was a serious student, maintaining top grades while filming the Potter series. In the fall of 2009, Watson headed off to study at Columbia University in New York City.

As the film series progressed, so did Watson's fashion sense. Watson ditched her tweeds in favor of more glamorous get-ups from high-end designer lines like Chanel, Vivienne Westwood and Marc Jacobs. She was photographed wearing Chanel to numerous red-carpet events and movie premieres, which sparked a rumor that she was deemed to be the new face of the famed brand, replacing actress Keira Knightley. Alas, the Chanel deal never materialized. But Watson did become the new spokesperson for British fashion house Burberry. In 2009, she modeled Burberry's signature trench coat and other accessories in the brand's autumn collection. In between photo shoots, filming and college, the young glamour maven found time to design a clothing line for teens that benefited UNICEF. Watson took on other roles in lesser-known ventures when she wasn't filming the Potter series. She starred as the voice of Princess Pea in the animated movie "The Tale of Despereaux" (2008), which also featured Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick. She also appeared in the critically acclaimed television adaptation of the novel "Ballet Shoes" (2007), where she played one of three sisters struggling to follow their dreams. Watson reprised her role as Hermione in the sixth installment, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (2009), while filming began on the two-part finale of the beloved series that same year, with "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" in 2010 and "Part 2" in 2011. Although she acknowledged that the end of the fantasy saga was bittersweet, Watson swiftly moved on to new projects, appearing in a small but crucial role in the Marilyn Monroe biopic "My Week with Marilyn" (2011). The following year she truly escaped her Potter shadow by starring in the well-received coming-of-age tale "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" (2012) with fellow young actors Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller. In 2013, Watson continued with this new phase with a lead role as one of the celebrity-obsessed thieves in Sofia Coppola's "The Bling Ring," and she also amused audiences as a fictional version of herself in the apocalyptic comedy "This Is the End," starring James Franco and Seth Rogen. After starring opposite Russell Crowe in Darren Aronofsky's Biblical adventure "Noah" (2014), Watson starred in a pair of smaller films, political thriller "The Colony" (2015), set against the 1973 Chilean coup, and indie psychological horror film "Regression" (2015). Her next film was Bill Condon's live-action remake of the Walt Disney classic "Beauty and the Beast" (2017), starring as Belle in a fantasmagorical landscape that blended live action and CGI performances.