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Emma Watson was recently issued a six-month ban from driving after a speeding offense. The July 16 verdict came after the actress accumulated 12 penalty points on her license in less than three years. Watson was driving at a speed of 38 m/h in an area of Oxford, United Kingdom, on July 31, 2024. The area's usual speed limit is 30 m/h.
According to The Independent, in the UK, one can be banned from driving for six months if they have 12 penalty points or more on their license in three years. It is also to be noted that in the UK, a minor speeding offense typically leads to three penalty points being added. Watson had already accumulated nine points prior to this incident. The latest verdict added three more, leading to her ban.
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Emma Watson was also asked to pay a fee of £1,044 at the High Wycombe Magistrates' Court following the verdict, as reported by the BBC. The actress was not present at the hearing, but her lawyer confirmed that she was "in a position to pay the fine" despite being a student.
The actress, best known for playing Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series, is pursuing a creative writing degree at the University of Oxford.
As news of the ban circulated on social media, netizens took to X, formerly Twitter, to react to the same. Some even made references to her character from Harry Potter.
"It could have been worse, she could have died or worse.. expelled," tweeted one netizen, referencing a line said by Hermione Granger.
Several other users also made allusions to the franchise.
"100 points from Gryffindor," a user quipped.
"She was clearly driving the Weasley's Ford Anglia," another person added.
"Somebody call Harry & Ron," another jibed.
Fans continued to share their thoughts on the matter.
"Put her in the next Fast and Furious movie," a fan joked.
"Wingardium Levi-DriveSlowBruh," another fan commented.
"Slow Down Granger," another fan opined.
Emma Watson's father warns new Harry Potter stars' parents amid new casting announcement
Emma Watson is best known for her portrayal of Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter movies. The British actress first played the role in 2001's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and continued to do so in all of the following seven installments of the franchise. This role led to her global recognition.
Watson's last appearance as Hermione came in 2011 with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Almost 14 years later, Warner Bros. and HBO have joined hands to create a series based on the best-selling novels with a fresh cast. The casting for Harry, Ron, and Hermione was finalized in recent months. It will feature Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley.
In light of the recent casting, Emma Watson's father, Chris Watson, shared his experience of dealing with his daughter's rise to fame in a Times Radio interview. He warned the new cast's parents about the challenges of dealing with such popularity.
"As a parent, you have to be scared. And you have to think this can go either way. This can be a very difficult thing for a parent and child to handle, or not. And while there are many upsides, nothing is perfect and you have to recognize that there are going to be a whole load of downsides and some of them you could not have imagined," he said.
Chris Watson further mentioned that he had never watched the films, and it helped Emma Watson remain down-to-earth.
"It certainly helped that I don't actually watch movies. It's not a big thing in the house... so it was easier for us to keep her feet on the ground," he said.
After her work in the Harry Potter films, Watson also starred in films like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Beauty and the Beast, and Little Women, the latter marking her last appearance in films in 2019.
She has since stayed away from the spotlight while focusing on an academic career. In an interview with British Vogue, published December 14, 2023, Emma Watson opened up about her decision to step away from films.
"I'm so glad that I allowed things to be messy for a minute and to really allow myself to not know [what's next], because the knowing that I've come to, I wouldn't trade that for anything," she said.
Watson completed a Bachelor's degree in English Literature from Brown University in 2014. She then enrolled in the University of Oxford for a Master's in Creative Writing in 2023 and has been a student since. She also started a gin brand with her brother Alex and made her directorial debut with the Prada Paradoxe perfume campaign in 2022.
In the same year, Emma Watson also appeared on the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special, alongside co-stars Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint.
Stay tuned for more news.
