Emma Watson has sparked quite the debate among film fans after publicly voicing her disdain for the press side of promoting her work.

The 35-year-old shot to global fame as a child playing Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film franchise, but she hasn’t appeared in a big-screen role since Greta Gerwig’s 2019 take on Little Women.

Since taking a step back from acting, Ms Watson has dedicated her time towards activism and causes close to her heart, as well as embarking on a creative writing Master’s degree at Oxford.

Ms Watson has turned down a number of roles since her last on-screen gig, and in a new interview, she delved into the “soul-destroying” reason why.

“The bigger component than the actual job itself is the promotion and selling of that piece of work, this piece of art,” she admitted when discussing acting.

She continued: “The balance of that can get quite thrown off. I think I’ll be honest and straightforward, and say: I do not miss selling things.

“I found that to be quite soul-destroying. But I do very much miss using my skill set, and I very much miss the art.

“I just found I got to do so little of the bit that I actually enjoyed,” she conceded when speaking to Hollywood Authentic.

Ms Watson’s candor regarding her dislike for the promo side of her work has been met with a rather mixed reaction, with critics urging her to “grow up” and recognise that it’s a “part of the teamwork”.

Reacting to Film Updates on X, which shared Ms Watson’s quotes, one social media user fumed: “Easy to say when you’ve already made millions. Most struggling actors would kill for that ‘problem’.”

“No offence, but I think the ridiculously high paycheck erases any sympathy I would have for this,” a second echoed. “The promo being so stressful and necessary definitely ties into those millions.”

Elsewhere, a third hit out: “God forbid an actor do work that isn’t all fun. It’s WORK, you get paid millions because there are things that are inconvenient.”

LATEST CELEBRITY NEWS:

TV icon Johnny Ball, 87, announces secret prostate cancer battle as he delivers candid health updateShirley Ballas swats away Thomas Skinner BBC Strictly probe as ITV star grills judge on ‘scandal’Jeremy Clarkson leaves fans in tears as he shares ‘sad’ Diddly Squat departure: ‘Cry my eyes out!’

And a fourth also had no sympathy: “Oh wah. I do things in my job that I don’t like, and then there are things I do like. It’s called life, working, and being an adult. Grow up, Emma. Also, my payday is nowhere close to yours, so I think you’ll be okay.”

Meanwhile, a fifth pointed out: “It’s so odd how these people b***h about the work but happy to cash the checks.”

And a sixth diplomatically explained: “I get where she’s coming from, but promo isn’t just selling things.. It’s part of the teamwork that gives everyone’s work a chance to be seen.

“She has the privilege of stepping away, but for most actors, that’s inseparable from the job, and promotion can also be a way to connect art with its audience, not just a soulless sales pitch.”

Despite the backlash, Ms Watson did receive some support from those sympathetic to her cause. “Almost every artist I know is like this. They’d rather bury themselves in creating something new than sell their finished projects,” one fan argued.

While a second offered a suggestion: “Why doesn’t she focus on smaller, independent films, theater productions, stage plays, radio dramas, or podcasts, which often involve minimal promotional demands and allow her to focus purely on performance?”

And a third applauded the actress: “That’s so real! The art is the magic, and Emma has always been amazing at it! Hope she finds her way back to it in whatever way feels right for her.” (sic)

Ms Watson isn’t the only member of her family to have spoken out in recent days to complain about the struggles of the spotlight.

Oh wah. I do things in my job that I don’t like and then there’s things I do like. It’s called life and working and being an adult. Grow up Emma. Also my payday is no where close to yours, so I think you’ll be okay.

— Sarah J (@sarahjn0) September 23, 2025

In a new interview with Times Radio, her father warned the young cast of the new Harry Potter HBO series about the media scrutiny that will befall them.

“As a parent, you have to be scared,” he said. “This can be a very difficult thing for a parent and child to handle, or not.

“It certainly helped that I don’t actually watch movies; it’s not a big thing in the house, and so it was easier for us to keep her feet on the ground.

“Normal life continued as far as possible: her homework would go back to school on motorbikes, admittedly, but she had to do her homework and check in,” he said, via Metro.