Emma Watson Then & Now: Photos of the ‘Harry Potter’ Star’s Transformation

Emma has been in the spotlight since she was just a child, and you can see how the star has evolved over the years here.

Emma Watson, born April 15, 1990, is a British actress and activist. Emma rose to fame in the early aughts portraying Hermione Granger in the film adaptation of the Harry Potter series, and from there, she soared to fame.

While building her acting career, Emma also pursued higher education, graduating from Brown University with a bachelor’s degree in English literature. During that time, she starred in films such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower(2012), The Bling Ring (2013), and Noah (2014), later leading Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast in 2017.

In addition to acting, Emma has been widely recognized for her activism, particularly her work advocating for gender equality as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and launching the HeForShe campaign. In recent years, she has stepped back from acting, focusing more on personal projects and advocacy. She resurfaced publicly in September 2025 with an appearance on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, where she reflected on her career and time away from the spotlight.

It’s clear that Emma has gone on to do wonderful things in her life so far! To see more photos of her over the years, take a look at this gallery of photos.

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