Emma Watson, much like the rest of the Harry Potter cast, has tried to break out of her famous character of Hermoine Granger. Many who know her and love her, regard her as the human embodiment of her famous role, but Watson has tried hard not to be defined by the role alone.
However, for one director, it was her Harry Potter role that ultimately convinced him to cast her in one of his best movies. Despite her best efforts to not be typecast or labeled by her most popular role, it eventually became the reason she was able to get the role that helped showcase her exceptional talent as an actress.
Director Cast Emma Watson In His Best Movie Because Of Her Harry Potter Role
After the Harry Potter franchise ended, Emma Watson was determined to bag a role that would help her establish herself as a ‘talented and versatile actress’ rather than be forever defined by the popular role of Hermoine Granger. And she did get that role when she got cast as Sam in Stephen Chbosky‘s Perks of Being a Wallflower movie adaptation of his book of the same name.
In an interview with Lamplight, the director himself revealed what made him cast Watson in one of his best movies.
“Once I had that screenplay, I had a much better idea of what I was looking for. That’s when I saw Goblet of Fire, saw that one scene where Emma and Daniel Radcliffe are in front of these steps, and it was really moving and I just felt that Emma could be Sam.”
While that scene convinced him that she would in fact be the perfect person to play Sam, meeting her in person later on only solidified his belief in her.
Stephen Chbosky Knew Emma Watson Was Perfect For Her Role
While Emma Watson is British, Sam is a typical American. Despite the huge background difference, Stephen Chbosky was convinced after meeting her in person that Watson would be perfect for the role. He remarked in his interview with Lamplight,
“When I met her in New York and recognized a kindred spirit in her, I knew she was perfect for the part. And with each person, because I knew the characters so well I just instinctively knew what we were looking for.”
And perfect was Emma Watson when she nailed the role of the American teenager, proving to everyone that she was more than just her role of Hermoine Granger.
Perks of Being a Wallflower can be streamed on Amazon Prime.
Source: Lamplight
