Emma Watson admits she came close to leaving ‘Harry Potter’ franchise

Actress Emma Watson, who played the part of Hermione Granger in the “Harry Potter” films, once considered leaving the franchise, reports Entertainment Weekly. Emma with her co-stars from the franchise appeared on “Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts” special, where she opened up about going through a stressful time.

Emma said, “I did find a diary entry that was kind of like. I could see that at times I was lonely.” Later in the special, she mentions, “The fame thing had finally hit home in a big way.” Director David Yates said that when he came on to direct the remaining Harry Potter films starting with 2007’s “Order of the Phoenix,” producer David Heyman and Warner Bros told him, “Emma is not sure she wants to come back to do another Potter.”

Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the film franchise said, “People definitely forget what she took on and how gracefully she did it. Dan (Radcliffe) and Rupert (Grint), they had each other. I had my cronies, whereas Emma was not only younger, she was by herself.” However, nobody had to convince her to stick with the franchise till the end as Emma said, “The fans genuinely wanted me to succeed and all genuinely have each other’s backs.”

Meanwhile, fans have reacted to Emma Watson’s revelation about the moment she first “fell in love” with her Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton. Watson and Felton — who played Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy, respectively — were two of the main cast members to have appeared in HBO’s Harry Potter reunion special titled “Return to Hogwarts.” During the special — which was released on Sky and NOW on Jan.1, – Watson reflected on her past romantic feelings for Felton. The 31-year-old went on to recall the precise moment she “fell in love” with her co-star.

“I walked into the room where we were having tutoring,” she recalled. “The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought god looked like and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. And I just don’t know how to say it – I just fell in love with him.” Watson clarified that nothing “ever, ever, ever happened romantically” but that the pair “just love each other”. In the special, Felton says that he was aware of Watson’s feelings for him.

“I think I was in the hair and make-up chair and someone said something along the lines of, ‘Yeah, she had a crush on you,’” he said. The 34-year-old added: “I became very protective over her. Yeah, I’ve always had a soft spot for her and that continues to the day.” Fans have shared their emotional responses to the touching moment online.

“11-year-old Emma Watson falling in love with Tom Felton because he drew a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard and then being exactly that with him 17 years later,” wrote one user, accompanied by a GIF of the pair as adults apparently on a skateboard together. Watson is wearing a backwards cap.

 Agencies