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November 19, 2004 - Stars brave cold at Potter launch

The Harry Potter stars made a dramatic entrance on a giant, purple bus for the launch of the Prisoner of Azkaban DVD.

In the freezing rain, Dan, Rupert and Emma arrived for the magical bash in London on the Knight Bus, which has a key role in the third Potter movie.

James and Oliver Phelps, who play the Weasley twins said: “The DVD is brilliant, especially the 360 degrees tour of Honeydukes sweet shop.

“The DVDs just get better. The deleted scenes are pretty funny too.”

Click here for all the gossip from the stars at the party

Other stars at the event included Matthew Lewis, who plays Neville Longbottom, Devon Murray, who plays Seamus Finnegan and Draco Malfoy actor, Tom Felton.

They were joined by the likes of David Thewlis, who plays Professor Lupin, Warwick Davis, who plays Professor Flitwick, and the rest of the Weasley clan.

The organisers of the event put on a great show for the world’s media.

The set piece was performed outside, starting with smoke rising from the pavements to the sound of the Potter soundtrack. Then the Knight Bus hurtled around in front of the London venue, with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson waving frantically from the platform as cameras snapped away.

Some of the stars then chatted to Newsround about what they were up to and what it’s like filming the FOURTH Potter film, the Goblet of Fire.

Rupert told us: “We’re about halfway through filming now, it’s going really well. In this one you’ve got the Yule Ball, where we all have to find partners so that will be quite interesting. And I have to wear these horrible dress robes for the ball so I’m not really looking forward to that.”

Emma told Newsround that she was learning new skills for Hermione for the next movie - learning to dance! “And it’s not just normal dancing, I’m talking the tango, the foxtrot, waltzing, it’s quite impressive,” she laughed.

In fact, all of the cast agreed they were having loads of fun on set at Leavesden for film four, and that new director Mike Newell was “crazy and fun”.

For now though, Potter fans will just have to enjoy the third DVD.

Source: CBBC

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November 15, 2004 - Potter star lights up Oxford St

Potter star Emma Watson has flicked the switch on the 2004 Oxford Street Christmas lights.

The 14-year-old actress who plays Hermione Granger turned on the lights at around 6pm on Monday.

This year the famous London lights have a Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban theme to link in with the DVD release on 19 November.

Potter fans will also be able to watch a special Harry Potter light show every night from now until Christmas.

The display will be set to the soundtrack of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, with the finale describing Harry casting a Patronus charm.

Click here for your thoughts on the Potter six title

Emma said she was thrilled to have taken part in switching on of the lights.

“I have wanted to do it ever since I was very young and I saw the Spice Girls do it.

“I love Oxford Street. I have come here most Christmases because I love the lights and all the beautiful displays in all the shops, ” Emma added.

Emma also told the crowd that she really wanted a candyfloss maker for Christmas.

The star added that she loved the new Harry Potter DVD and the best bits were when the actors were interviewed by TV presenter Johnny Vaughan, as it was such great fun.

Emma was joined on the stage by five Olympic gold medallists including Sir Steve Redgrave and the 4 x 100m relay squad.

Source: CBBC

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November 13, 2004 - Emma Watson Talks About Potter, Plans, and Pitt

Emma Watson has big plans for her time off from filming Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. While filming for Prisoner of Azkaban is complete, she is currently working on Goblet of Fire, which will be released in 2005.

“I’m going skiing and I haven’t gone skiing so I’m really looking forward to that, and I’m hoping that goes well!”

Marie Morreale, our Entertainment Editor, was able to talk to Emma about that and many other things. Check out the interview to find out what she had to say.

Marie: What is your favorite part of the new movie?

Emma: This is actually my favorite book. There’s a great scene where I punch Malfoy, which is really good fun. It’s good.

Marie: How does Malfoy react?

Emma: How does he react? He runs away! Woo hoo! Girl power!

Marie: This summer there’s going to be some really great movies coming out. Do you have any film that you most want to see this summer?

Emma: I absolutely love Shrek. I don’t know what it is; he makes me laugh so much. I’m really looking forward to Shrek 2, and obviously Troy with Brad Pitt, in a skirt.

Marie: One of our magazines in London is asking about your GCSE’s. Are you studying for them yet?

Emma: Um, sort of. This is my foundation year and then next year I start my coursework.

Marie: So what do you do when you start your coursework? Are there specific classes for their exams?

Emma: Yes. Coursework is basically done more in projects or in blocks and you study one thing in more detail, in lots of detail, basically.

Marie: Are you nervous about them?

Emma: Yeah, a little bit. I looked at a GCSE book the other day and I was like, “Oh my god, I’m never going to pass!” It’s just like it goes on forever and ever and ever, and the amount of work is a bit like “AAH!”

Marie: What subjects are they in?

Emma: I’m not actually really sure. I think you have to do math; you have to do physics, chemistry, biology. I think you have to take English, and I think you have to take French. And then I’ve got stuff like Latin, Spanish, geography, history.

Marie: What’s the biggest change in your life since the first Harry Potter movie, and what’s your best personal experience?

Emma: Well I suppose quite a bit’s happened, really. Um, what sort of best personal experience?

Marie: Someone you may have met?

Emma: Come on, now. Okay, this is really easy. I met Brad Pitt, which is quite cool.

Marie: What’s been the most embarrassing moment you’ve had since you first started with Harry Potter?

Emma: Oh, there’ve been a few. You know how you have those really fancy screen chairs that have your name on them? Well I’ve got this little one that says “Emma Watson” on it . In the middle of the set sitting there, you know, sipping my drink casually, I think my chair was on a wire or something, and I went straight over backwards on this chair and spilled my drink all over me. That was pretty bad.

Marie: Have you sat down and talked to J.K. Rowling or spent any time with her?

Emma: We don’t really see her that much, actually. I’ve seen her at a couple of premieres, stuff like that, but not really.

Marie: What do you like best about her writing?

Emma: Oh, I don’t know, it’s imaginative and completely takes you into another world. It just lets your imagination run wild, and I think it’s great for something that is described so specifically that you know isn’t there but it’s written so brilliantly that you almost believe that it really is there. I was always a massive fan of the books even before I got into the films.

Marie: Who’s your favorite character from all of the books?

Emma: Oh, I love Hagrid. I have a bit of a soft spot for Hagrid; he really makes me laugh. I love him. Oh, and I really like Dobby. He just makes me want to hug him or help him or something. I get really maternal feelings whenever he’s around. I always feel really sorry for him.

Marie: How would you feel if another actor played your character?

Emma: Oh, I don’t know! It would be quite hard because I have been doing it for three years now. I suppose I don’t know. It would be interesting.

Marie: I want to talk to you a little bit about the owls in Harry Potter. Do you have any favorite species of owls, and if so, what makes that particular species special?

Emma: Well I love Hedwig! You cannot beat Hedwig. Hedwig is the owl. I like the tawny owl, the white ones, the all-white ones. I don’t know. There’s something special about them. Beautiful, soft feathers, and they have those faces that are really friendly and beautiful.

Marie: Why do you think that they’re so perfect in the magical world of Harry Potter?

Emma: I don’t know. I think they’re such amazing creatures that, like everything else in the magical world, completely astound you.

Marie: What personal adventure would you most like to accomplish in the next year?

Emma: Oh, I don’t know. One fun thing that I’d like to do—oh, I can’t think of anything!

Marie: I guess you’re in the biggest adventure anybody could ever be in right now anyway!

Emma: I’m going skiing and I haven’t gone skiing so I’m really looking forward to that, and I’m hoping that goes well! Oh, yeah, and the brilliant thing is that this year, because of the big enough gap between the third and the fourth [filming of the Harry Potter movies], it would mean that if I did break my leg I’d be all right again before we started filming again.

Source: Scholastic News

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November 12, 2004 - Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, Prisoner of Azkaban

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, the three leads at the heart of the Harry Potter series, return in the third instalment, The Prisoner Of Azkaban.

What was it like seeing your faces on the big screen?

RG: Yeah, it’s really weird seeing yourself on the big screen - it’s quite scary - but I’ve sort of got used to it now, it’s quite cool.

DR: I’ve never really liked watching myself that much. I saw the film with some of my friends and I was sitting in the front row of the cinema, and the last frame of the film is one of my face, and it looked like I was about to eat the front row of the audience. It’s kind of scary and a bit surreal, but I think we’ve all gotten used to it now.

How different was it working with Alfonso Cuarón compared to Chris Columbus?

DR: Everything we learned with Chris over two years - which was a lot - we now get a chance to put it into practice with another director. That was a challenge in itself, because we had to get used to someone else’s style, but it has helped us a lot to evolve or develop just making the transition.

RG: Yeah, it was a bit weird when we found out there was going to be a new director - we’d gotten really close to Chris, I was really used to him. But Alfonso was wicked, we had a really good time.

This time around we see you in jeans, more ordinary clothes. Were you relieved to be out of the school uniforms?

EW: I think it made things more normal, more comfortable. It made it easier to do the stunts as well, and it lets you see a different side to all of the characters. Plus, we’re teenagers now, and I think that that has more of an influence on it. It feels more personal when you are in your own clothes.

DR: Also, more of the story this time takes place in the holidays between terms, so it was quite natural - I don’t think that any child anywhere in the world actually wants to wear their school uniform. Apart from Hermione…

RG: Unfortunately Ron still gets his hand-me-down Weasley sweaters, so I never got to experience the normal clothes.

How do you see your lives beyond the Harry Potter movies?

EW: I love performing; I love acting; I love singing; I love dancing. There are so many different aspects of the film world that hopefully I will end up in some area of it. Maybe on the stage, I don’t know. Whatever gets thrown at me, really.

DR: I’ve got loads of other things that I’m interested in, like music, but I do love acting, and it is something that I want to go on and do. I suppose we’ll have to see what happens.

RG: I’d like to carry on doing films - that would be pretty cool. But then, when I was a kid I wanted to be an ice cream man! That seemed like the ideal job for me.

What’s it like being the cleverest witch, and do you think that girls are cleverer than boys in real life anyway?

EW: Oh, definitely! I love playing Hermione, she is so charismatic. She’s a fantastic role to play, especially in this third one. It’s my favourite book, my favourite script. She’s taken two films of people being rude to her, being nasty to her, and either pretending that she didn’t hear or just saying “forget about it”. But in this one it’s a real turning point for her because she says “That’s it, I’m not taking this any more!” She punches Malfoy, she storms out on teachers. She’s rock and roll, she’s girl power, she’s feisty in this one.

Are you enjoying making these films and everything that goes with them as much as you first did. And secondly, if you could influence the way your characters ended up at the end of this adventure, how would you have them end?

DR. My favourite part of the whole process, including the interviews, the premieres, whatever, is always the work, actually making the films. People say it’s work, but it’s not really work, is it? I really enjoy it. It’s challenging for me, but it’s fun, I really enjoy doing it.

I’m going to be really unpopular for saying this about Harry Potter but I always have had this suspicion, that with everything going on in his life, I think he might die. I have a theory - because Harry and Voldemort have got the same core in them: you see that connection between them in the fourth book - I think that the only way that Voldemort can die is if Harry dies as well. I’ll probably turn out to be completely and utterly wrong.

EW: I feel quite close to Hermione - I feel very protective of her when I read the books, so I hope she ends up doing something that she loves, I hope she ends up being happy.

With Ron?

EW: Maybe!? Maybe… if that makes her happy…

RG: I’d like Ron to turn a bit evil. That’d be cool - I just want to play an evil person.

Is there anything about filming you don’t like?

RG: I had a rat in this film. When we were in Scotland he peed on me. That wasn’t really nice.

Alfonso asked you to write an essay about your characters’ evolution. What did you write?

DR: It was a long time ago - I’ve completely forgotten. All I remember is that we ended up being freakishly like our characters. Emma hates me to bring this up, but I wrote one page of A4 about Harry, and Emma, well, Emma wrote about 20 pages.

EW: No! It gets more and more every time. It was ten, then 12, then 16, now 20? Come on! I have big handwriting, and I leave big spaces, OK?

RG: I forgot to do it… [laughter]

David Heyman [the producer] has said that you might end up too old for the parts one day. Would you mind, or would you want to get on with your lives and do other films?

DR: Whatever happens happens. I love doing the films, but I am interested in going on to do other films at some point. When that will be, I don’t know.. Each one takes about a year to film, then about six months after that until it comes out, so there’s a while until I have to think about doing a fifth one yet. I’m not going to lie and say it’d be completely easy, and that I’d be happy someone else playing the part - it would be extremely strange having played it for what would be four films. If it happened it would be something I’d have to get used to.

Also, people do play people younger than they are in real life. I’m going to be 15 in a couple of months, and Harry is 14 now, so I don’t think it would make that much difference, really.

RG: I’d like to go on. I really do enjoy Ron, it’s a really good experience.

EW: We only started the fourth one two weeks ago. Every film takes a year to do, and these are big projects, and I think it’s hard for all three of us to look anywhere beyond that. I’m not sure yet.

What does growing up to be an adult mean to you?

DR: I suppose I won’t actually know until I grow up. I don’t know.

RG: My voice has got a bit deeper. I’ve got a bit taller. That’s all I really know so far.

EW: I’m having a pretty good time as a teenager at the moment. It’s an interesting age. It’s a time of discovery, of making mistakes, and learning from them. I intend to enjoy it.

Were you intimidated with working with such an amazing cast?

DR: Well, I hope Gary [Oldman] doesn’t mind me saying this, but since I started acting I have always been a really huge fan of his. I’ve watched loads of his films and think that he is just the most fantastic, fantastic actor, so for me to be working with him is absolutely a huge honour and a privilege. To be working with Gary, David Thewlis, Timothy Spall and Alan Rickman in the same room was quite intimidating - not because they were intimidating us, just because they are such fantastic actors. Seeing them together was just fantastic to watch.

RG: It’s a bit scary when you first get to meet them but they are really just down to earth, easy to talk to people. That is one of the reasons I really enjoy acting - you get to meet all these cool people.

EW: The last scene, which had Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Gary Oldman and David Thewlis all in the same room, was a bit overwhelming, but it was great because it really challenged me. Even if it wasn’t personal advice, just watching them work was a huge help in terms of helping us mature as actors. I was so pleased to be working with Emma Thompson. She’s done a great job with Trelawney - she’s absolutely hilarious.

How do you feel about being big movie stars, and what do you do with all the money you earn?

DR: It’s in a bank, I don’t really use it. You know, I’m 14, I don’t really have a major need for it yet. I buy a lot of CDs, but that’s it really. And the movie star thing: it sounds like a big cliché, but it doesn’t really matter to me that much. I really like doing the work, and that is what matters the most.

EW: My money is in a bank until I’m like 25, 18, I don’t know. It’s weird, but I don’t really feel like a movie star - I feel like a movie star for like two, three days of the year, but the rest of the time, I just go back to being, well, normal.

RG: Yeah, it’s a bit weird, but you sort of get used to it. The money is nice to have, but it’s not that important. That said, I do spend it. I got one of those cool little quad bikes - yeah, stuff like that.

Are you happy to be associated with Harry Potter for the rest of your career?

DR: That’s a cheerful thought… The stupidest thing I could possibly do would be to be angry at being thought of as Harry Potter, because it has given me so many amazing opportunities. Hopefully I’ll be able to go onto other things, play different characters, and hopefully people will like it. Ideally, the first thing I do after Harry Potter will be different from the character of Harry, but the ideal part for every actor is different from the last part he did, so we’ll see what happens.

How has doing the Potter movies over the last four years influenced the way you’ve grown up?

DR: I think we’re maturing the same way that any other teenager goes from 13 to 14. I don’t think there’s that much difference. Obviously we are on a film set a lot of the time, but I don’t think we’ve lost anything from that. I’m having a great time, and I don’t think that it is going to hurt me in the long run or anything.

Emma, have you lost your youth?

EW: I haven’t lost my youth! I’ve known Rupert and Dan since the beginning of this, and I think that they are exactly the same as when we started. I hope that I am too.

Rupert, how is life between the movies? Fairly normal?

Pretty normal. Life is the same as it was before, but I just get recognised sometimes, which is really hard to get used to. Apart from that, I’ve missed a lot of school, which has been a bonus…

Source: BBC.co.uk

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June 3, 2004 - Interview: Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson

Recently in New York, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, two-thirds of the Harry Potter trio, met with a group of print and Internet journalists for a – how should I describe it? – a mini press conference.

We considered ourselves lucky with regard to the timing and scheduling of the interview, given the limited time these two had and, during this time of incredible Azkaban interest, the number of people who wanted to talk to them. Radcliffe had just completed an interview with E! Entertainment Television, and at the time of this interview both were scheduled to be at MTV studios in Times Square in 45 minutes. So, we had our half-hour window.

Radcliffe was dressed down for the occasion in jeans and t-shirt, and Watson was looking very, well… Sgt. Pepper. And they proved convincingly that they’re both incredibly articulate and thoughtful young stars.

Would you like to see them answer a few of the questions? We’ve prepared a few video clips for you. Just click on the corresponding links for some unique first glimpses of the Q&A. (You won’t see these clips on TV, so get ‘em while you can.)

And now, Radcliffe and Watson discuss maturing as actors and teenagers, their future goals, their fellow cast members and the making of Azkaban…

Q: Could you two start off by commenting on how much you think you’ve changed through the course of these three movies?

EMMA WATSON: We’ve just been getting older, maturing.

DANIEL RADCLIFFE: I think we probably have changed as actors as well, but I’m not conscious of myself changing. I mean, I can’t pick-up on it. I never watched the first film again since, like, for about three years now. So I can’t really compare it to the third because it’s not very fresh in my mind.

Q: Are you more confident this time around when you were doing it?

WATSON: We get more and more confident every time, really.

RADCLIFFE: Yeah, I think so. Definitely, just because we have more experience with different directors.

WATSON: And it’s nice because a lot of the crew who was on Harry Potter 1 is still doing Harry Potter 3.

RADCLIFFE: Yeah, exactly. And now 4 as well.

WATSON: It’s great.

RADCLIFFE: It’s like a family, basically.

Download Press Conference Video 1

Q: You mentioned that you are maturing. And you guys are fantastic, by they way. Now, are you finding out as teenagers and as the films go on and on, you’re prone to experiment with a little, you know, more teenage stuff. Have you noticed more attention from members of the opposite sex? Can I ask you about your love life?

WATSON: (Laughs)

Q: Dating anyone?

RADCLIFFE: No, sorry to disappoint you. (Laughs) Yeah, obviously I’m sure both of us have noticed members of the opposite sex because we’re now, both…

WATSON: I’m fourteen.

RADCLIFFE: We’re both fourteen, so we’re just kind of going though what any person who’s thirteen/fourteen is.

WATSON: What every other teenager is going through.

Q: Are you getting any attention from the opposite sex?

RADCLIFFE: Um, maybe a bit, yeah. I’m not complaining. (Watson laughs)

Download Press Conference Video 2

Q: I have a quick follow-up to that, since adolescence is so taxing to begin with, here you are experiencing it in the public eye. So, talk about that aspect of it.

RADCLIFFE: For, certainly it hasn’t affected me. I’m kind of going through what every other teenager goes through, but kind of with posters. (Waston laughs) It’s not very… It’s not as different as people would expect, I don’t think, for me anyway.

WATSON: Yeah, no, I agree completely.

Alfonso Cuaron directs Emma Watson on the set of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Q: How as it adjusting from Chris’ [Columbus] style to Alfonso’s [Cuaron] style?

RADCLIFFE: Basically I think everything that we learned with Chris, we were now able to put into practice with a different director. I think the reason Alfonso was able to do longer takes and was able to do more complicated shots was because, with Chris we just didn’t have the experience of the focus to do that kind of stuff. And so, with Alfonso we were kind of just getting the shot. And it is harder, it’s more challenging – which is good because if we’re getting older and we’re not being challenged, well then there’s no point in doing it, really.

But I think it’s just that we learn more with each director, I think. And now, with the fourth film, with Mike Newell directing, I think we’re going to learn even more there as well.

Q: Do you think that Alfonso shared the same mind-set about your characters?

WATSON: Yeah. Actually, one of the first things that he did when we first met him was he asked us to write an essay about our characters – not just to help us, but also to help him to kind of see the character through our eyes. And also… he gave us a lot of freedom with that as well, which was really good.

RADCLIFFE: I think it’s quite important to mention that when we did the essay, we basically did exactly what our characters would have done in the same situation. So, like, I wrote kind of a page. And it was fine, it was OK, it wasn’t great – which is what Harry does. Rupert do it, Rupert forgot to do it. (Watson laughs) And I always get the figure wrong. How many pages did you write?

WATSON: We’ll he actually gets a bit, a little bit more every single time, but I…

RADCLIFFE: About eleven.

WATSON: (Laughs) Yeah, I have big handwriting and I use big spaces.

RADCLIFFE: But it was always a really quite amazing essay as well though. Alfonso read it to us.

Q: How do the two of you both feel about the commitment to being in the series now? You’re doing the fourth film, and you both started out and everybody was saying, we don’t know how long you’re going to do it for. Do you still take it seriously? Are you committed to wanting to do Harry Potter until the series is finished?

RADCLIFFE: Well, we’ve already started on the fourth.

WATSON: Yeah, we’ve done two weeks of that.

RADCLIFFE: So, we’re definitely doing the fourth. But I mean, after that… each film takes a year, so it’s not as though I don’t take it seriously.

WATSON: Yeah, one film at a time. (Laughs) Whoa!

Q: Emma, in Azkaban you play a very significant role in the film. What do you think about that? And in one particular case, Hermione gives Malfoy exactly what he deserves. Can you talk about that?

WATSON: (Laughs) I love it! I love every single second of it. Girl power! It was great. I would have done [the punching scene] for a whole week, but, you know, we got it in a couple of takes. And I’m like, “Well I want to do it again! I want to do it again!” No, it was fantastic. It’s great.

RADCLIFFE: It’s a great moment.

WATSON: It is a great moment. And it’s cool.

RADCLIFFE: At the premiere everybody cheered when she did it.

Q: Why don’t you each individually speak about how this has affected your ambitions or maybe enhanced your ambitions? Now that you’ve conquered the film world, you’re going to be politicians by the time you’re 18?

RADCLIFFE: I… God help the nation if I’m a politician. (Watson laughs) I really enjoy acting, I really love acting. I think it’s really something I would like to go on and do. And there’s other stuff that I would like to do as well, mainly music and write and things like that. But, hopefully, I’d love to continue acting. I really would.

WATSON: I feel incredibly lucky to be given the opportunity to be in such a fantastic film and worked with so many tons of people. I mean, my ambitions couldn’t even dream of the scale and greatness that Harry Potter is, and so, I’m so very lucky about that. But as Dan said, I love performing, I love being creative. There’s so many different aspects of the film world that even if I didn’t pursue acting, then I… I mean, something, something in it I might end up doing. Whatever gets thrown at me, I’m just going to go with the flow and see what happens.

Q: Did you have any personal ambition, such as like somebody you wanted to meet?

RADCLIFFE: I don’t really have somebody. I got… there’s a really cool band called Feeder, whom I got to meet because they were playing, they were shooting a video in the stage next to us at one of the studios. And that was really amazing.

And I got to meet some of my favorite actors, like Gary Oldman I actually got to work with, and I would always watch his films. Tim Robbins and Ben Stiller. I have got to meet some fantastic people.

WATSON: One person I was almost dying to work with… I was so pleased when I heard that Emma Thompson got cast as the part of Professor Trelawney, because I love her. I think she is such a great actress. And she did a really great job with Professor Trelawney. She is hilarious. She’s so great.

Q: What scene from the book that didn’t make it to the movie would you like to have done?

RADCLIFFE: There was one scene in the third book. I can’t actually remember what Harry said in it, but it was something… It was kind of him just getting – I think, and I may have this wrong because I haven’t read the book in quite a while – but it was something like he comes out of Lupin’s office and basically sits down, and it’s almost him slightly despairing, but kind of telling himself that he’s got to get it together if he wants to fight the Dementors. That’s all I can remember actually. Other than that I think I got to play-out most of the great things in the book.

WATSON: I think they did a really good job in this one. A lot was cut, but they did a great job of making sure that everything that was put in the film is really relevant to the plot. One of the things I think is really great about this film is that it’s really fluid; it’s really fast moving. And I think they did a really good job of getting everything that was important in there.

Q: Can you recall some of the scenes or sequences that were cut?

WATSON: My goodness. Yeah, there was a couple of fights with Ron that were cut.

RADCLIFFE: I think there was a hug, too.

WATSON: Actually that was cut.

RADCLIFFE: Was it?

WATSON: Yeah.

RADCLIFFE: I obviously wasn’t paying attention.

WATSON: No, obviously not, Dan. (Laughs) There was an awkward hug with Ron that was cut.

Q: Why was it awkward?

WATSON: Why? I think, well, on the exterior, Hermione and Ron spend the whole film just arguing with each other, because Ron is convinced that Hermione’s cat, Crookshanks, has eaten his rat. But I think it’s a bit of a cover-up really, because, um, they have a little soft spot for each other. And it’s kind of one of those classic love/hate relationships. You always tease the ones you like.

Q: Getting back to the girl power in the film, have you gotten a lot of response, either online or though letters from fans, on their reactions to the film?

WATSON: Well, I suppose that the film is really newly released, so I haven’t heard anything for this film, which is really her Girl Power film. But I hope I’ve done justice to her character, because it’s my favorite book, and it’s such a great part for her in the third book. And I hope that, you know, I did her justice and she’s what they all thought she’d be.

Q: Dan, Alfonso mentioned that you really pushed yourself to the limit during some of the more intense scenes during production. How did you, as an actor, prepare yourself for those scenes, and was it difficult to shake it out of your system afterwards?

RADCLIFFE: Basically because Harry being a teenager has the same feelings as every other teenage, basically. But because of his past, I think he feels like this feeling of anger or loneliness. Because of his past I think he feels more strong – more strong? Sorry, jetlag. So, that was kind of hard for me, but because obviously am feeling the same things as him. I just kind of took what I was feeling and basically just exaggerated them; and, like, listened to music or anything just to get me into the right state of mind during filming. And then just kind of hoped for the best.

WATSON: Yeah, I have to say Dan just focused so hard on a lot of the scenes in this. In one of the scenes that he did, he was so into it that he almost fainted. He was really great.

RADCLIFFE: I, um, it was one of the Dementor scenes, where it was me and Sirius by the lake and I had my soul sucked out. And I kind of, I do this like stupid thing where I forget to breathe properly and I hyperventilate. (Watson laughs)

Q: Did you guys learn any funny stuff about Alfonso? Did he teach you anything about Mexican food, or anything?

RADCLIFFE: I was going to say, but none I can really repeat. (Laughs) No, really. We both kind of started studying Spanish.

WATSON: We’re starting to learn Spanish at school.

RADCLIFFE: And please don’t anyone test us because we will try and fail miserably. Or, I know I will. Obviously, he is very patriotic about Mexico and it’s great. He did teach quite a lot, he just talked about it a lot.

Q: Emma, in working with Emma Thompson, were there any lessons that you learned specifically?

WATSON: Working with Emma Thompson, I had such a good time with her because she… I had really good fun with the scene that we did because she was very creative and she was very involving with me. And she said, “Oh, why don’t we try this? Why don’t we do it this way?” Or, “Wouldn’t it be good is we said this line here?” It was really fascinating for her to involve me like that. It was really great and I had a really good time with Emma, and I hope she gets some love back.

Source: IGN

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June 2, 2004 - Watson Reveals Azkaban Cuts

Emma Watson, who reprises the role of Hermione Granger in the upcoming third Harry Potter film, The Prisoner of Azkaban, told SCI FI Wire that she’s pleased with how judiciously director Alfonso Cuarón and screenwriter Steven Kloves condensed and pruned J.K. Rowling’s book into a movie. “I think that they did a really good job on this one,” Watson said during a press conference. “A lot was cut, but they did a great job of making sure that everything that was put in the film was really relevant to the plot.”

Watson added, “One of the things that I think is really great about the film is that it’s really fluid and fast-moving. They did a really good job of getting everything that was important in there.”

Asked specifically what was shot but cut, Watson replied, “There were a couple of fights with Ron [Rupert Grint] that were cut.” Watson also confirmed that Cuarón cut a scene in which Hermione and Ron hug. “There was an awkward hug with Ron, but it did get cut,” she said. What made it awkward? “Well, just on the exterior, I think,” she said. “Hermione and Ron spend the whole film arguing with each other. Ron is convinced that Hermione’s cat, Crookshanks, has eaten his rat, [Scabbers]. But I think that’s a bit of a cover-up, really, because they have a bit of a soft spot for each other. It’s a classic love-hate relationship. You always tease the ones you like.” Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban opens June 4.

Source: Sci Fi.com

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Elementary Watson

NEW YORK — Though she was bewitched filming the first two Harry Potter films, Emma Watson couldn’t wait to work on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

“It’s my absolute favourite of the books so far,” says Watson, who plays the bossy bookworm Hermione Granger in the film series of J.K. Rowling’s uber-selling novels.

“Loving the third book so much is probably a bit selfish on my behalf because it is such a great part for Hermione. She really comes into her own in this novel. We get to see a several different sides of Hermione.”

It is in The Prisoner of Azkaban that Hermione uses a little physical force when she stands up to the school bully Draco Malfoy, played by Tom Felton. “I got to punch Tom and make him whimper. It’s girl power to the max. I loved every single moment of shooting that scene. I could have shot that scene for a whole week and not got tired of it, but we got it in a couple of takes.”

Watson even admits she pleaded with director Alfonso Cuaron to let her get in a few more punches. “I just hope I’ve done Hermione justice. I’m pretty certain I’m not the only girl who loves Azkaban because of the girl power issue.”

Hermione also begins to show a budding interest in classmate Ron Weasley, played by Rupert Grint. “Hermione and Ron spend the whole film just arguing with each other. Ron is convinced Hermione’s cat has eaten his pet rat.

“Their squabbles are a bit of a cover-up,” explains Watson. “They actually have a bit of a soft spot for each other. It’s a classic love-hate relationship. You always tease the ones you fancy.”

Watson and Grint actually filmed several verbal battles that ended up on the cutting room floor and a scene that, as Watson puts it, “was an awkward hug between them. Alfonso kept the scene in where they hold hands for a moment when they are frightened so I know audiences will see what is developing between them.”

Because she is such a fan of The Prisoner of Azkaban, Watson is aware that much of the book never made it into the film. “I think Alfonso and (writer) Steve Kloves did a really good job on adapting Prisoner of Azkaban. Even though a lot was cut, they did a great job of making sure the really important things made it into the film.”

Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry, had small roles in The Tailor of Panama and played young David Copperfield in the 1999 British TV series David Copperfield. Like Grint, Watson made her film debut with the Potter films.

“I acted in school plays and I thought about being an actress but my ambitions couldn’t have dreamed of the scale and greatness that Harry Potter has become for me.

“I feel really blessed to be part of it.”

Watson insists she still gets to live a relatively normal life. Her parents are divorced and she lives with her mother and younger brother, Alex. “Dan and Rupert and I have really supportive families that help us keep our feet on the ground, even if our heads are sometimes in the clouds. Between films I try to do do exactly what I did before I was cast as Hermione.”

For Watson that means “attending regular school and playing sports. I go to normal teenage parties. All my money is locked away in a bank until I’m 25 so that isn’t even an issue these days.”

Nor, she insists, is dating.

“Of course, I notice boys and I notice boys noticing me but that’s as far as it goes.”

Watson has begun filming Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, due in November 2005.

“I have no idea what will happen beyond that. I do these films one movie at a time. I don’t let myself think beyond the one I’m doing.”

Source: Calgary Sun

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Dan Radcliffe and Emma Watson: The “Azkaban” Interview

We went to New York for the premiere of the new “Harry Potter” film and sat down for a chat with Harry and Hermione (Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson)! We learned all kinds of cool info like, did you know that Sirius Black plays the bass! Emma looked extra hot with more blonde streaks in her curled, light brown hair and was wearing a very cute red military jacket with gold braid with her jeans. Dan’s hair was all tousled cute and he was in white tee, jeans and tennies. Big change after the fancy clothes the two donned for the Premiere the day before.

These two have a mutual admiration society going. Either that or something flirty is starting to happen between them. Ever the English gent, Dan pulls out Emma’s chair for her and they share lots of smiles as they talk. The two 14-year-olds were seen dancing together at the party after the Premiere and can’t say enough nice things about each other.. hummm. Ron and Hermione may be getting closer in the films but in real life could it be Harry and Hermione? Well, for now, we’ll just settle for a friendly chat about Dan’s rock band aspirations and Emma’s love of her girl-power, kick butt role in “Azkaban”. Tune in….

TeenHollywood: Can you talk about how much you think you’ve changed over the course of the three “Harry” films?

Emma: We’ve just been getting older.

Daniel: I think that we probably have changed as actors as well, but I’m not conscious of myself changing. You can’t pick up on it. I’ve not watched the first one again for about three years now. So I can’t really compare it to the third because it’s not very fresh in my mind.

TeenHollywood: Were you more confident this time around?

Emma: I think that you get more and more confident every time really.

Daniel: That’s because we’ve had more experience with different directors.

Emma: It’s funny, because a lot of the crew who were on Harry Potter one are still doing Harry Potter three. So it’s great.

Daniel: Yeah, and now four as well. It’s like a family, basically.

TeenHollywood: You are older now. Have you started dating anyone? (I’d swear both young actors blushed at this)

Daniel: Um, no. Sorry. I don’t want to disappoint you. Obviously, I mean, I’m sure both of us notice members of the opposite sex because we’re now both fourteen. So I suppose we’re just going through what any person 13 or 14 goes through. (Okay.. good curve ball you just threw us, Dan).

TeenHollywood: Are you getting more attention?

Daniel: Maybe a bit, yeah. I’m not complaining.

TeenHollywood: How annoying is it to be growing up in front of tons of fans?

Daniel: Certainly it has affected me. I’m kind of just going through what every other teenager goes through, but with posters. (we all laugh) It’s not as different as people would expect, I don’t think.

Emma: I agree. I agree.

Teenhollywood: Did you learn anything different from new director Alfonso Cuaron?

Daniel: Basically, I think that everything that we learned with Chris (Columbus, director of the first two films) we were now able to put into practice with a different director. I think that the reason Alfonso was able to do longer takes and was able to do more complicated shots was because with Chris we just didn’t have the experience or the focus to do that kind of stuff. We did with Alfonso. It is hard. It’s more challenging, which is good because if we’re getting older and we’re not being challenged then there’s no point in doing it really. But I think it’s just that we learn more with each director. And now with the fourth film, (”Goblet of Fire”) with Mike Newell directing, I think that we’re going to learn even more as well.

TeenHollywood: Were you able to teach Alfonso anything about your characters?

Emma: Yeah. One of the first things that he did when we met him is that he asked us to write an essay about our characters. Not just to help us, but to help him to see the character through our eyes. He gave us a lot of freedom with that as well, which was really good.

Daniel: I think that it’s quite important to mention that when we did the essay, we basically did exactly what our characters would’ve done in that situation. So I wrote a page. And it was fine. It was OK. It wasn’t great. Which is what Harry does. Rupert [Grint] didn’t do it. Rupert forgot to do it. I always get the figure wrong. Emma, how many pages did you write?

Emma: It becomes a little bit more every single time you tell it [Laughs].

Daniel: It’s about eleven.

Emma: Hey, I have big handwriting.

Daniel: It was really a quite amazing essay. Alfonso read it to us. (Emma beams).

TeenHollywood: Are you two committing to do more of the films?

Daniel: We’ve already started on four. So we’re definitely doing the fourth. Each film takes a year to do. So I don’t know.

Emma: Yeah. One film at a time.

TeenHollywood: do you feel like you’re giving up on your school life to do these movies?

Daniel: I do better at school when I’m on set, quite a lot better. I mean, I still see all of my friends all the time. I get to see my friends without having to do the work at the same time I see them. So, for me, I don’t think I’ve lost anything.

Emma: No. I haven’t had to give up a lot either.

TeenHollywood: Emma, you certainly give Draco the wallop he deserves and it gets a great reaction. How pleased are you that this movie really features Hermione’s character?

Emma: I loved it. I loved every single second of it. Girl power. It was great! I would have done it for a whole week, but it was only a couple of takes. I went, ‘I want to do it again! I want to do it again!’ It was great. It’s a great moment. It was cool.

Daniel: It is a great moment. At the premiere, everyone cheered when she did it.

TeenHollywood: So do you have new ambitions? Now that you’ve conquered the film world, will you go into politics some day?

Daniel: God help the nation that I’m a politician for! I really enjoy acting. I really love acting. I think it’s really something that I’d like to go on doing. Again, there’s loads of other stuff I’m interested in as well, mainly music and writing and things like that, but I’d love to continue acting. I really would.

Emma: I feel incredibly lucky to have been given the opportunity to be in such a fantastic film (series) and to work with so many talented people. My ambitions couldn’t even have dreamed of the scale and the greatness that ‘Harry Potter’ is. So I feel really lucky about that. But as Dan said, I love performing. I love being creative. There are so many different aspects to the film world that even if I don’t pursue acting. then there’ll be something in it for me that I might end up doing. But I’m just going to go with the flow and see what happens.

TeenHollywood: Is there anyone that you’d still really like to meet?

Daniel: I’ve already met some of them. There’s a really cool band called Cedars who I got to meet. They were shooting a video on the stage next to us at one of the studios. That was really amazing. I got to meet some of my favorite actors, too. Gary Oldman, I actually got to work with. I’ve always loved him. Since I started acting, I’ve always watched his films. Tim Robbins and Ben Stiller. I have gotten to meet some fantastic people.

Emma: Someone that I was dying to work with (was Emma Thompson), and I was so pleased when I heard that Emma got cast in the part of Professor Trelawney because I love her. I think that she’s such a great actress and she did a really great job with Professor Trelawney. She is hilarious. She’s so great. (We hear that Emma also has a crush on Brad Pitt).

TeenHollywood: Was there anything from the book that wasn’t in the movie that you wished hadn’t been left out?

Daniel: There was one scene in this third book. I can’t actually remember what Harry said in it because I haven’t read the book in quite a while, but it was something like he comes out of Lupin’s (David Thewlis) office and basically sits down. It’s almost him just slightly despairing, but telling himself that he’s got to get himself together if he wants to fight the Dementors. That’s all I can remember, actually. Other than that I think I got to play most of the great scenes from the book.

Emma: I think that they did a really good job on this one. A lot was cut, but they did a great job of making sure that everything that was put in the film is really relevant to the plot. One of the things that I think is really great about the film is that it’s really fluid and it’s really fast moving.

TeenHollywood: What was filmed but cut out?

Emma: Oh my goodness. There were a couple of my fights with Ron that were cut. There was an awkward hug with Ron, but it did get cut.

TeenHollywood: Why was it an awkward hug?

Emma: Well, just on the exterior, I think, Hermione and Ron spend the whole film just arguing with each other. Ron is convinced that Hermione’s cat Crookshanks has eaten his rat. But I think that it’s a bit of a cover up really because they have a bit of a soft spot for each other, and it’s a classic love-hate relationship. You always tease the ones you like.

TeenHollywood: Fans seem glad that Hermione gets to be so strong in this movie.

Emma: Yeah. This is really her girl power film. But I hope I’ve done justice to her character because it’s my favorite book. And it’s such a great part for her in the third book. I hope she’s what they all (the fans) thought she’d be. She really comes into her own. I think that you see a really different side to her than you have in the other two. It’s much more personal and this film has really tested and challenged me. I’ve definitely enjoyed it the best out of three because of that.

TeenHollywood: This is a much more emotional film for Harry. Was that hard for you, Dan?

Daniel: Harry, being a teenager, has the same feelings as every other teenager, basically, but because of his past I think that he feels those feelings of anger or loneliness more strongly. I think that was kind of hard for me. But because I’m obviously feeling the same things as him, I just kind of took what I was feeling and basically just exaggerated them. I listened to music or something to get me in the right state of mind for filming, and I just kind of hoped for the best.

Emma: (beaming at Dan) I have to say that Dan focused so hard on a lot of the scenes in this. One of the scenes that he did, he was so into it that he almost fainted.

TeenHollywood: Which one was that?

Daniel: It was one of the Dementor scenes, where it was me and Sirius (Gary Oldman) by the lake with and I was having my soul sucked out. I do this kind of stupid thing where I forget to breathe properly. I haven’t done it lately.

TeenHollywood: Can you talk about some of the cool and great actors you’ve been able to work with in this film?

Emma: Well, there’s been Emma Thompson, Gary Oldman, David Thewlis..

Daniel: Timothy Spall. Michael Gambon as well.

Emma: What a cast, really!

Daniel: It was amazing. Ever since I’ve started doing the ‘Harry Potter’ films I’ve been watching films a lot more. I’ve watched I’d say 90 percent of Gary Oldman’s films and I have so much respect for him as an actor. I think that he’s one of the greatest actors of his generation and it was a complete inspiration to work with him. He’s actually the nicest guy as well. He gave me a bass lesson. He’s a really great bass player. It was actually so amazing for us to be working in the same room as Gary, David Thewlis, Timothy Spall and Alan Rickman all in one go. It was unbelievable.

Emma: Daniel almost bit my head off at the beginning. He said, ‘Gary Oldman’s been cast as Sirius Black,’ and I went ‘Who?’ Now I know that is the most terrible thing that I could possibly say, ever. Even though I didn’t know him, just working with him, he did such a good job. He’s great.

TeenHollywood: Did you learn any Spanish from director Alfonso Cuaron?

Daniel: None that I can really repeat. No, really. We’ve both started Spanish at school. But, please, don’t test us or we’ll fail. Or at least I know I will. He’s very patriotic about Mexico. It’s great. He really talked about it a lot.

Emma: Please. Seriously. Don’t test us.

TeenHollywood: Was there a particular actor that you enjoyed learning from?

Emma: Working with Emma Thompson, I had such a good time with her. I had really good fun with the scene that we did because she was very creative and she was very involving with me and she said, ‘Oh yeah, why don’t we try this? Why don’t we do it this way? Wouldn’t it be good if we said this line here?’ It was really flattering for her to involve me like that. I hope it gets some laughs in there.

TeenHollywood: How would you feel if you couldn’t do this film or future “Harry” films and someone else had to do your part?

Daniel: It’d be very hard to watch someone else play the parts, I think. I don’t know. We are getting older than the characters because there was a longer gap between the third and the fourth. I’m now 14 and go to 15 in a couple of months. So I’m getting older than Harry. We can only take it one film at a time. If they do want me to do it after five, we’ll just have to see then, I suppose.

TeenHollywood: How about downtime on set? What did you do to escape or chill out for a few minutes?

Emma: Dan listens to a lot of rock music. I have to say that in hair and makeup every morning, he was jamming away in his chair.

Daniel: Hormones are interesting things. I think that Emma’s right. I think that the music does help to let off a lot of steam, definitely.

TeenHollywood: Does your family help you and do they handle your finances?

Emma: I think that Dan and I both have very supportive families and I’m trying to do exactly what I did before I even started the films. Between every single film, I go back to school. I see all my friends. I do everything that I used to do. I play sports. I go to the normal teenage parties. All of my money is locked away in a bank until I’m 25 and I’m not going to see it until then. And I suppose I just have good friends and family who keep my feet on the ground and keep it real.

TeenHollywood: Do either of you have plans to do anything other than the “Potter” series?

Daniel: I’d love to go off and do other films. I’d love to maybe form a band. Whether I actually ever get that together, I don’t know. I don’t know if I actually have the organizational skills to get me and some other guys together. That’d be amazing. I’d love to make a record. But whether it will happen or not, I don’t know. Films are definitely something that I’d love to carry on doing.

Emma: I have a lot of ambitions that I want to fulfill.

Daniel: (smiling at Emma) Emma is actually a really quite fantastic singer as well. (To Emma he says) I know you won’t mention it yourself.

Emma: [Laughs] Okay. I would like to maybe do some stage work. I love to sing and dance. I love the adrenaline you get when you’re right there onstage with an audience responding to you.

TeenHollywood: It must have been hard when Richard Harris (Dumbledore) died.

Daniel: It was awful. I have what I think is the supreme, amazing honor of being able to be in Richard Harris’ last scene that he ever shot. It’s amazing to be able to say that. I don’t think that Richard was the kind of guy who would’ve wanted us to mourn over him for ages and to just be sad. I think he’d have just wanted us to be happy and remember him for all the times that he made us smile and laugh.

TeenHollywood: How do you think Michael Gambon has done taking over the role?

Emma: Obviously, it’s very hard to follow on from Richard Harris. A lot of people thought that he was a perfect Dumbledore. But (Gambon) did a really, really great job because instead of trying to make himself look exactly like Richard Harris, trying to copy him, he did his own thing with it. He’s still Dumbledore, but he’s put a different spin on it. He’s done something different with it.

Daniel: I think he’s more of a mischievous Dumbledore.

TeenHollywood: What has been your weirdest fan encounter so far?

Daniel: I went to MTV (TRL)– and I’m about to go again, actually. It was the first time that I’d ever been there and you’ve got the huge windows all around. Carson Daly took me over to one of windows and pointed down (to the street) and there was a girl down there wrapped in a towel and nothing else and just holding a sign saying, ‘Nothing comes between me and Harry Potter.’ It was a “Harry Potter” towel, which made me feel better.

Source: Teen Hollywood

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May 28, 2004 - The normal life of a teenage superstar!

Apart from being the most famous schoolgirl on the planet, life is pretty normal for Emma Watson, who plays Hermione.

Homework, boys, oh, and starring in a major blockbuster! Life is good for Emma. Lizo finds out what famous teenagers get up too.

Lizo: What do you think of the film?

Emma: There has always been so much pressure from the start, I just hope that the third film has done justice to the book, and I have done justice to Hermione, because it’s my favourite book.

Lizo: What’s it like being the most famous schoolgirl on the planet?

Emma: I don’t really feel like that. It feels like I am famous for about two days and then it goes back to being me again.

Lizo: Do you get to have a normal childhood, do all that teenage stuff?

Emma: Yes, I do definitely. When I’m not filming I go back to school, I see my friends. I get to do normal teenage stuff again.

Lizo: What is a typical normal weekend?

Emma: Well, when I’m not filming, sometimes I have some homework to do, I see my friends.

Lizo: In this movie, apart from the glorious moment you get to punch Malfoy, what is the favourite bits for you?

Emma: Apart from that. I was privileged that I got to work with people like David Thwelis, Gary Oldman, Timothy Spall, Emma Thompson, all these fantastic actors and actresses. And I had a great time doing that.

Also, the last scene in the Shrieking Shack really challenged me. So I had a good time doing that.

Lizo: Now the whole Ron and Hermione thing seems to be hotting up in this movie?

Emma: Yes it does! On the outside they spend the whole film arguing because Ron is convinced that Hermione’s cat, Crookshank’s, has eaten his rat. But I think it’s a bit of a cover-up really, because they have a soft spot for each other. You always tease the ones you like!

Lizo: Do you think they are well suited?

Emma: NO! They are completely not suited. But that is what makes them so sweet, I guess.

Lizo: What were the other good bits? What was it like working with Crookshank’s? Was it a real cat?

Emma: I loved working with that cat, he’s so cute. He looks like he has been smashed in the face with a pan. He’s so ugly, bless! But I love him, he’s lovely and fluffy.

Lizo: How did Rupert and Dan get on with him?

Emma: They were just mean to him, they were just teasing him all the time.

L: Did you protect him?

Emma: Of course.

Lizo: What was it like working with Alfonso, how different was it to working with Chris?

Emma: I suppose he has different style and techniques, different ways of doing things.

Lizo: Are you still having fun?

Emma: I still am really enjoying it!

Lizo: Have you met the actor playing Victor Crum?

Emma: I have, he is really nice actually. He’s good fun.

source: BBC.co.uk

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May 25, 2004 - Interview: Daniel Radcliffe & Emma Watson

Things have changed for now 14-year olds Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson. Greeting the press the day after the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in New York, there remains a quietly eloquent maturity in these two British teenagers whose lives have changed since the first Harry Potter film burst in the public consciousness four years ago. Radcliffe is sporting a white t-shirt and jeans, while a glowing Watson wears a sparkling red outfit out of Sgt. Pepper. Full of smiles, the pair agree they have developed over the three films, but don’t know exactly how. “We have just been getting older and maturing”, a reticent Watson begins, now waiting for her male counterpart to finish her thought. Adds Radcliffe on cue. “I think we probably HAVE changed as actors but I’m not conscious of myself changing. I haven’t watched the first film for about three years now, so I can’t really compare it to the third because it’s not very fresh in my mind, “he says. But both admit their confidence has increased throughout the three films, Radcliffe says. “Just because we’re really more experienced with different directors.”

The different director Radcliffe refers too is Mexico’s Alfonso Cuaron, who replaced America’s Chris Columbus for the much darker Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Comparing the two, says Radcliffe, stems from what the pair learnt initially with Columbus. “Basically I think, everything we learned with Chris, we were now able to put into practice with Alfonso”, says Radcliffe. “The reason why he was able to do longer takes and more complicated shots, was because with Chris we just didn’t have the experience or the focus to do that kind of stuff. And it IS harder and more challenging, because we’re getting older and so if we’re NOT getting challenged there’s really no point in doing it.” In Prisoner of Azkaban, Radcliffe may be the title character, but it’s the ever blossoming Watson who ultimately dominates the fourth adventure, punching her nemesis in the nose and virtually saving the day. “I refer to it as my kind of girl power”, Watson laughingly exclaims. Continuing on that theme of the prevalence of girl power in Prisoner of Azkaban, Emily says she hopes she did the character justice this time around, “because it’s my favourite book and such a great part for her, so I hope that she’s what they all thought she’d be.” She adds that Hermione “finally comes into her own in this one. I think you see a really different side to her than you had in the other two. I think her journey is much more personal and this film has really tested me.”

But with that maturity, comes with it growth as adolescents and hormonal change. Both actors laugh when asked about the state of their love lives, admitting, in unison, that they don’t have one. “Sorry to disappoint you”, laughs Radcliffe. But of course both teenagers have become increasingly aware of, let’s say, the opposite sex, Radcliffe shyly concedes. “I’m sure both of us have noticed members of the opposite sex, because we’re both fourteen going through what any teenager is going through.” Daniel does admit, however, that he has begun noticing young women noticing him more. “I’m not complaining”, he adds laughingly. On their down time, with hormones chasing them in all directions, Radcliffe overcomes his hormonal frustrations, he says, by “listening to a lot of rock music” in between takes. Then he smilingly adds. “Hormones are very interesting things and the music definitely helps let off a little steam.”

Nor are they complaining about leaving behind some aspect of their childhood, shooting the Potter films, such as a conventional school life. “I do better at school when I’m on set”, Radcliffe concedes. “I get to see all of my friends without having to do all the work.”

All three of the teenagers are about to begin Harry Potter 4 under the direction of Mike Newell, but beyond that, neither Radcliffe nor Watson are prepared to disclose whether audiences will see THESE actors beyond a fourth adventure. “Each one takes a year to do, so it’s something I’m not focussing on”, says Radcliffe. “One film at a time”, Watson adds laughingly. Yet if age well and truly catches up with the teenagers Radcliffe does admit it would be tough handing the role to another actor. “In my mind it would be very hard to watch someone else play the parts, but the reality is, we ARE getting older.”

Of course for both actors, there is life and ambition beyond the Potter films. Radcliffe says that he really enjoys acting. “I love it and I think it’s really something i want to go on with, but I also want to develop my music and writing.” As for Ms Watson, “I feel incredibly lucky to have been given the opportunity to have been in such a fantastic film. I mean my ambitions could not have even DREAMED of the scale and greatness that Harry Potter is”, enthuses the diplomatic young actress. “But I love performing and being creative. There are so many different aspects of the film world, that even if I don’t pursue the acting, there’s something else I’m bound to end up doing. I’m just going to go with the flow and see what happens.”

Source: Dark Horizons

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