Watson said she is not sure what her plans are for the fall semester, the beginning of her third year. Like many of her “fellow Brown students,” she wrote on her website, she is considering studying abroad.

“The reason I took a semester off from Brown had nothing to do with bullying,” Watson wrote. “I have never been bullied in my life and certainly never at Brown.”

Brown has not commented on media reports this month citing an anonymous Brown “insider” who claimed Watson was bullied out of school.

A New York Daily News article posted online April 21 claimed that when Watson responded correctly to questions in class, her classmates would shout, “Three points for Gryffindor!” — a reference to the “Harry Potter” films, in which students’ dormitory houses are awarded points for questions they answer correctly. Watson’s character lives in Gryffindor.

“This ’10 points to Gryffindor’ incident never even happened,” wrote Watson, who has denied that rumor before. “Accusing Brown students of something as serious as bullying and this causing me to leave seems beyond unfair.”

The rumor that a student had once exclaimed “10 points for Gryffindor” after Watson answered a question correctly became widespread on campus in spring 2010, the semester during which it was alleged to have happened, according to several current and recent Brown students interviewed by The Associated Press.

But, they said, it was viewed as part of Brown folklore, and students were, if anything, protective of Watson.

“We try to take care of our own at Brown, and I think we try to make sure she feels like anybody else,” said Megan Estes, a third-year student who said she doesn’t know Watson but worked on the production of a campus theater production in which the “Harry Potter” star acted.

Apart from the Gryffindor comment, there was little sense on campus that Brown students heckled or antagonized Watson, said Estes and other students.

In class, students were respectful of Watson, said Bianca Dahl, a visiting professor who teaches a course on global humanitarian aid that Watson attended briefly at the start of the spring 2010 semester.

“There was an awareness of her, but in a protective way,” Dahl said. “I can’t fathom that faculty or students would allow bullying to happen.”

Some students went so far as to approach Dahl to caution her that the actress was taking the course after she made reference in lectures to the “Harry Potter” books and to a humanitarian fashion line created by U2 singer Bono, she said. Watson is involved with a similar fashion line.

Allison Zimmer, who graduated last year and was an editor on the Brown campus newspaper’s weekly culture magazine during Watson’s freshman year, said she often encountered Watson with friends at Brown’s dining hall, its bookstore and other normal campus locations.

“At the beginning there was a little bit of an aura around her. People would say, ‘Oh, I just had my first Emma Watson spotting.’ But that faded after the first few weeks,” Zimmer said. “It was almost uncool to mention it.”

The newspaper consciously decided to cover Watson as a normal student and not to give her presence extra attention, Zimmer and other current and former editors at the newspaper said.

Watson’s comments Friday come a week after Vanessa Davies, her spokeswoman, told The Associated Press that the actress would transfer to another university in the fall because she “has decided to pursue a different course which sadly Brown does not offer.”

Still, it’s “possible and likely she may return to Brown in her final year,” Davies told the AP.

Davies did not identify the university to which Watson will be transferring, but said it was “affiliated to Brown.” She did not elaborate on what that might mean.

Brown declined to comment on Watson’s plans.

Source: The Associated Press

Can you talk about the scene when Hermione faces Bellatrix, when she writes ‘mudblood’ on your heart. It was really powerful.

Thank you very much. It was very weirdly affecting to do that scene. It was quite horrible. I think Helena said to me afterwards, she was like, ‘I really didn’t enjoy doing that.’ [Laughs] And she usually gets very into all of that kind of evil stuff, but I think she felt quite uncomfortable.

But, actually, the ‘mudblood’ idea wasn’t something that was written in the script. It’s something that Helena and I came up with, because I was like, ‘Well, if she’s just kind of doing a spell on me, I can make it look like it’s painful, but I think it would be really powerful to have something that the audience can actually like physically see.’ So, the ‘mudblood’ we came up with. We all sat designing what Bellatrix’s handwriting would look like for like 40 minutes and we were like, ‘Well, we think that’s what she would write like.’ So, yeah, we had a lot of fun with it.

You had said at the time that when you guys did that, the cast and crew and everyone felt very awkward, because it felt so real.

Everyone did feel very awkward. It was funny. Carlota, who is my great friend and who did my hair and makeup for the whole movie, she bolted for the door. She really wanted to come in and save me. And so I did one take and David let the camera roll for like two minutes and just sort of just left me there screaming. [Laughs] So, when I looked at the edit I was like, ‘Wow, fair enough.’ You can’t have two minutes of me screaming, but I did that a lot longer than was actually shown. But, no, I think it was quite disturbing for the crew, which I was pleased about, obviously, because it showed I was doing a good job. But I think it wasn’t a fun day for everyone on set.

Is that the hardest thing you’ve had?

Actually, weirdly, I have been thinking about it for months, so when I finally came to it, I’d built up all this stuff that I wanted to exorcise and it was like an out-of-body experience. It’s really weird. I just kind of did it. And David was like, ‘Okay, great, we’re done here.’

Is there any particular scene in any of the films that you would like to go back and reshoot, even as a different character?

Ooh, that’s interesting. I actually had a really good time playing the evil Hermione in Ron’s vision, so I’d quite like to go back and play a bad guy for once. I think that would be fun.

Dan commented in the BBC that apparently you’re quite a fiery kisser.

So I hear. Journalists keep bringing this up with me and I don’t really know what to say. I think for the scene, obviously it had to be something that would disturb Ron, that would make him really jealous and that would make him upset. So, I think the kiss had to be passionate from Hermione’s end. As for whether I, myself, am like an ‘animal,’ I guess I should just take it as a compliment? [Laughs] He said, ‘No, no, no. I gave you a ten for kissing.’ I was like, ‘Alright, alright, well as long as it’s positive I guess that’s fine.’ [Laughs]

You seem to take the media stuff in stride.

It’s experience. I’m twenty years old now and I was nine, ten when I went into my first press conference, so you just get used to it. It takes too much emotional energy to get upset every time something’s written that you don’t want to see. You just have to let it go. I would be a crazy person.

Did you realize that early on?

It took me a while to figure that one out, actually. I mean, I would be lying if I said I didn’t still get upset. I do still get upset. But I don’t care quite so much, which is good. I mean, I still get misquoted all the time. And there’s so much information out there about me you think it would be very easy to check facts, but…

How has the experience been going to Brown and living in America? Do you feel sort of American now or are you still like the English person?

It’s really weird, actually. It has become a second home to me and I do really love it. I’m very happy. I could very easily see myself spreading my time between New York and London.

Why did you choose to go to the States over a university here? I’m sure you could get in anywhere.

For a number of reasons. A friend of mine went over to university in the States and when he was telling me about the fact that he was able to study more than one subject at a time and that it was much more open and broad, that really appealed to me. And then also I’m much more anonymous in the States and I needed a change. I needed a fresh start, somewhere where I could go and feel like I could really reinvent myself. And that’s what Brown has been for me.

So would you still think of an acting career or is it still up in the air for you?

No, definitely, and this film’s given me a lot of confidence. I just did a movie called My Week with Marilyn, which is a Weinstein production with Eddie Redmayne and Michelle Williams and that went really well. And, no, I think I will keep acting. I think I’d like to make maybe one movie a year or something, especially until I’m done with Brown, definitely. Because it’s really hard. It’s really exhausting trying to juggle the two. It takes a lot.

How do you juggle school and working on movies?

You just have to be really organized with your time. And I tell professors in advance that I have to leave for this period of time and I hope they’ll understand. And I have to work hard to earn that kind of trust and respect that they allow me to do that. I have to show them that I’m a hard worker and that I take my studies seriously because otherwise they wouldn’t let me do it. So, at the beginning of the semester, it’s all about getting good grades so that they’re like, [Laughs] ‘Okay, you can go up and do whatever it is you have to do.’

Can you talk a little bit about your dance sequence with Dan? Is he a naturally gifted dancer or did you have to show him some moves?

As much as I love Dan, he’s not a naturally gifted dancer. [Laughs] I think he knows, but it was perfect for the scene. It wasn’t meant to look perfect. It was meant to look silly and spontaneous.

You were good.

Thanks. [Laughs] I love to dance.

This movie really gives all of you a chance to really act. What does David Yates bring to that?

The thing about working with David Yates is that you always hear this word, “truth” and finding the truth and being honest and real. He really hates anything false; he wants it to be from the heart. And so I think that made me a better actress. Especially at the very beginning; I felt I was playing such a character and when I was playing Hermione I could really put on this act and become this kind of big personality and use that to avoid being as truthful. And then he just said, ‘Just do it from here. Just forget all of that stuff. Just be honest.’ That’s what I tried to do. And I think it made a difference.

Your character spends most of this film dressed very contemporary. Was that a different experience from previous films?

You know what? It was so nice not having the whole infrastructure of having the castle and the school year. I mean, as much as it’s been amazing to work with this older talent, it can become quite stilted having all of these barriers in place. It’s just nice for it just to be the three of us and it to be about us and what we could give. And, yeah, I loved that.

Which of all the scenes with Ron and Hermione was your favorite to film?

In Part 2, we go off on this little adventure together to destroy the horcrux. And it’s kind of like a comedy act because it’s the first time you see Hermione and Ron in tune. We’re usually so offbeat. We’re always going to miss each other and we kind of clash. And then, in this one scene, we’re this real team and it’s so funny and we’re both so into it. There are just a couple of really funny comedy moments and I just really enjoyed them. Rupert’s a great comedic actor and so we had a really good time just really bringing the humor out of everything that we could.

Was it a challenge for you to do the scene where Hermione is saying goodbye to her parents?

It was a challenge. I don’t want to get too heavy, but being from a family that’s been split up, I know what it’s like to walk away and coming in between two different families. It’s hard. So, I guess I used some of that.

Well done.

Thank you.

When we see baby pictures of Hermione, was that photo editing or are they actually your baby pictures?

No, they were actually my baby pictures. [Laughs] There’s one with me with my favorite thing. I had this towel with bunny rabbit ears on it. And there’s a picture of that, which I didn’t know which ones they were going to use. They just asked my dad if they could have some pictures of me when I was a kid. And he handed some over. So, it’s very weird seeing those real pictures mished in with these fake parents. Weird.

How are you feeling now that the films are coming to a close? Are you nostalgic?

That question never gets clearer or easier really to answer. It’s hard for me to answer because I still don’t really know how I feel about it. I’m still processing it. So, to give you an answer is actually quite hard. I have days where I feel relieved and I have days where I feel very sad. And I have days where I’m like, ‘I’m so excited.’ Because this just took up my life, all of my time; my life revolved around Harry Potter. That was the focal point of my existence. And it’s exciting now that I have this time, I can accept other things. I mean, I know the grass is always greener, but there were moments when I was making this when I was like, ‘God, I wish I could go and do that.’ Or something would come up and now I have time to go and do different things. So, it’s exciting too. I swing kind of like a pendulum back and forth between all these different emotions.

Do you still keep little pieces of paper with dialog changes on it?

Well, actually, by the end, Dan, Rup and I would rewrite our dialog just because I would read something and I would immediately say, ‘She wouldn’t say that. She wouldn’t say that.’ And, luckily enough, having played her for 10 years, Steve Kloves and David trusted in me enough, I guess to say, to give me the freedom to really do that, which was nice. I don’t think I’ll ever have that chance again, so it was nice.

Was it kind of awkward to do the kissing scenes since these guys are almost like your brothers at this point.

Yeah, it was horrible. I mean, [Laughs] really horrible. I felt incredibly awkward. It looked good. I mean, we somehow managed to make it look realistic. So, I was proud of myself that I managed to power through and be professional. So that was good.

This movie really takes its time with the characters, did you find that different?

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. There were times when I felt like I was being sped through my lines a bit, like, ‘We’ve got so much to fit in. Can you talk faster please?’ [Laughs] And I would be like, ‘Oh.’ So, it was nice to luxuriate and feel like I had space. You are right about that timing thing. It was [hard work], but the lovely thing about doing two back-to-back was that we picked up a kind of momentum and a kind of rhythm and we were really into the work and very in our characters. There was a real fluidity to what we were doing. So, I think it made a really good movie. Because the biggest problem we have on Potter is that we have so many special effects and we have animals and hundreds of actors and this huge cast—I can feel that hovering over my shoulder.

It just gets so slow, and for us, as actors, the biggest challenge is keeping each take fresh and real and new, because when it’s moving that slow and you’ve been hanging around in the trailer for three hours and you’ve done it for like the seventh time, it’s really hard to bring something fresh. So, it was really nice to have that momentum and the kind of chaos of trying to shoot two in one time.

Source: TheVine.com.au

When Emma Watson stood on Platform 9 3/4, about to board the train to Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, she never imagined the journey she was about to setoff on would be so lifechanging. In the ensuing ten years – across seven Harry Potter films – she’s become one of the best-known, most admired stars in a generation, as she’s changed from cute kid to sophisticated starlet. She’s also blossomed professionally, evolving from a wooden amateur to accomplished auteur.

“I think people forget that when we started we were so young – just nine or ten – so we really didn’t know what we were doing,” confesses Emma, blushing as she recalls her first few Harry Potter scenes. “We barely had any acting experience between us and we relied so much on the director to guide us. Sometimes he’d even switch the sound off and, as the camera was rolling, direct us over the take and add the sound in later! We really needed that much guidance.”

Judging by her latest outing in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – the final installment of J.K. Rowling’s beloved series, which has split into separate films – she’s learned her lessons well over the last decade. It’s a stellar performance, reinforcing that not only is Emma now a veteran actress, at just 20, but she’s also a sassy, sexy glamour puss.

That’s been evident with her modeling makeover for Burberry, the quintessentially British fashion house favoured by Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham, featuring Emma alongside her brother, Alex, banished any notion of her as a prim, or proper, as she toyed with playing the vamp. It’s an exprience she foudn liberating.

“Clothing and costumes are a way of becoming someone completely different. I guess that’s what attracted me to the Burberry campaign so much – just being able to express myself in a different way,” she reveals. “I appreciated people seeing me outside of my role as Hermione and seeing other potentials in me. It’s fun playing around with different sides of your personality; it’s a way of expressing yourself, just like being an actress is.”

“It’s why I’ve tried to play different characters in the photoshoots I’ve done recently, so people could hopefully look at me differently,” adds Emma. “I’m aware that it’s hard for audiences to separate me from my character, because I’m so identified with her, but hopefully by doing this like that people will see a different side of me. Also, I had a great time doing it becasue I love clothes and fashion.l And they were certainly much nicer to wear that than the awful woolly jumpers and tartan skirts I had to wear in Harry Potter, which made me look very plain and boring!”

In fact, Emma enjoyed the experience so much that when she was approached by People Tree to deisng a range of clothes, she leapt at the chance – even offering her services for free. Partly, she admits, it’s because they’re an ethical Fair Trade label.

“For me, fashion has always been something that is fun. But I was also excited by the idea of using fashion as a tool to alleviate poverty. I think Fair Trade is so empowering and makes such a huge difference to people,” she explains. “Also, by being involved, I knew that I could help make a difference.”

“I just designed things that I like and would want to wear,” smiles Emma when quizzed about her input. “I just drew on inspiration frm my own wardrobe, my friends and also vintage pieces. I’ve really enjoyed it and I’m planning two more lines for them.”

Emma admits that her appreciation of fashion and how she can influence fans with what she does – and wears – has been a recent revelation.

“It may soudn crazy, but it never really occured to me that people would care about what I was wearing. It really didn’t. It only hit home with the last film,” she confesses. “But now I’m increasingly aware that people really care about what I put on my body. Although I find that a little strange, it’s made me realise that when I’m in the public eye it’s important that I dress because that’s how I’m presenting myself to the rest of the world.”

However, she concedes that growing up in public and the scrutiny that accompanies being sexy, stylish star has been hard to handle. It’s why she tries to keep as low a profile as possible, jealosly guarding her private life.

“It’s been so hard going through the most self conscious time of your life – when you’re changing, your body’s changing and you’re trying to get used to the way your look and feel – while the whole world is watching,” admits Emma, sighing involuntarily. “It’s been pretty harrowing at times, especially as I am so intensely self-critical. That’s why I banned myself from reading everything about myself on the Internet.”

“I guess I just have to stop being daunted, or frustrated, by people’s perception of me,” she shrugs. “There’s nothing I cna do about it – it will change when it changes – so I just have to do what makes me happy and follow my heart and not think about other’s expectations, because it’s so limiting. People put me in a nice little box – they decide who I am and what I should do – but that’s not how it is.”

She admits that the pressure of being in the spotlight and the public’s perceptions of her – are partly why she decided to flee the UK to attended Brown’s University, in America.

“I was so exciting at the thought of going to University there, being away from all the attention back home, meeting people my own age and just being normal for a bit,” Emma enthuses. “It’s turned out to be everything I hoped it would be because I’ve made some great friends – people I really trust.”

“For my 20th birthday, I threw a party for 80 friends from University and we just danced all night. It was great; I had a fantastic time,” she grins. “It was also a good moment for me, because I realised how far I had some: I’d moved country, gone to University and met some really special people. Best of all though was the fact that not a single photographs from that night turned up in the papers, or on the Internet. That meant so much to me, because it proved that the friends I’ve invited are people I can trust. I feel so grateful and happy about that.”

While studying, Emma flitted backwards and forwards between Brown and Britiain to film the two-part, final installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now that it’s all over, how does she feel?

“Obviously there’s sadness – there were a few tears on the last day – but there’s also a great sense of relief because playing Hermione has been such a big responsibility,” she admits. “Now it’s over, it feels like a massive weight has been lifted off me! It’s such a relief that I can just be myself – be Emma – again.”

“That’s why I cut my hair,” she reveals. “I’d spent more than half my life being somebody else – that their hairstyle – and I wanted to be Emma and have my hair the way I wanted it. I didn’t realise it, a tthe time, but it was actually incredibly symbolic having all this hair cut off that people so identified with Hermione. It felt great – it was very liberating – like I was shedding that old skin and starting a fresh, new chapter!”

As for the future, Emma’s less cut and dry about what’s in store, or what she’ll be doing long-term, although she’s adamant that she’ll always act.

“You know, I’m only 20, so I have no idea what I want [to do] with the rest of my life, or even what I will be doing in say, ten years time. I do have my dreams – a vision of what I’d really like my life to look like – but who knows if that will happen.”

“It’s funny, because a lot of my friends are now gearing up to get a job and relaly push on with their career but I’m at a point where I ned to just stop, have a break and take it easy for a bit. I’m very excited by that, and the prospect of just having some normality in my life.”

“The problem though is I’m a workaholic,” adds Emma, laughing. “I’m hugelt motivated and determined, so you’ve not seen the end of me, just yet! I’m always going to work hard and always want to act. But I’m also going to try and make sure that I have a bit of fun as well!”

Transcribed from the original scans exclusively for i♥watson.net

How did you come to work with Emma Watson?
Emma and I have a long relationship that dates back to when I dressed her for the promotion of her first Harry Potter film. Since then, we have been in touch and I was very struck by her collaboration with People Tree. I think she is very serious, intelligent, and extremely talented. She was an obvious choice for me on this project as we share a deep sensibility for the green cause.

How would you describe her style? How did it gel with your own aesthetic?
Emma is a fresh, serene, and intelligent young woman who has a very sophisticated style. She is a young woman who lives life to the full: She is dedicated professionally, involved socially, and is intriguing and cool. We both wanted the collection to be easy to wear and accessible to a wide range of the public. The main inspiration that came directly from Emma was the Jane Birkin mood, typical of London in the late 1970’s, which came when she saw [my] Spring ‘11 collection. However, the collection shows the unmistakable feminine and romantic style of Alberta Ferretti. The two came together in the shared concept of feminine style.

Has ecological fashion been a long-term goal of yours?
Concerns with the environment have always been important to me, and over the years I have been involved in a number of projects. I was born near the sea, I live surrounded by nature, and I am particularly close to the environment and sensitive to ecological problems. The event that made me really think was the Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster off the American coast last year. As a designer I felt it was important for me to create a line of clothing that would demonstrate my commitment to eco-friendly principles. The materials used for this collection are entirely organic, and every process is environmentally friendly, from the growing of the cotton down to the dyeing of the fabrics.

Source: Style.com

Watson joins Julia Roberts, Penélope Cruz and Kate Winslet as brand ambassadors for the cosmetics company.

In advance of the formal announcement, Watson tweeted about “having a new cosmetics deal” — intended to stoke curiosity before the Monday-morning announcement in Paris.

“Thanks to her charm, romanticism and her incredible modernity, Emma Watson has become the icon of her generation,” said Youcef Nabi, president of Lancôme International. “We are delighted by this new collaboration with Emma, who brings a fresh spirit to Lancôme.”

Mario Testino is said to be shooting the ad campaign.

Watson has also been the face of Burberry twice, appearing in the brand’s fall 2009 and spring 2010 campaigns.

The 20-year-old Watson, who recently said she will take a break from her studies at Brown University to focus on acting, is keeping busy: She just worked with Alberta Ferretti to create a “green” capsule collection called Pure Threads by Emma Watson Alberta Ferretti. It was produced with materials and techniques that are environmentally friendly and made in Italy, and will be available exclusively on albertaferretti.com beginning March 21.

Part of the proceeds will be donated to People Tree, a nonprofit organization Watson supports. People Tree collaborates with manufacturers in 15 developing countries and stimulates small companies to produce low-impact clothing.

She also will begin shooting Summit Entertainment’s “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” this summer. The script is based on Stephen Chbosky’s coming-of-age novel centering on the trials and tribulations of a 15-year-old outsider. Logan Lerman will play the main character, Charlie, and Watson will play his first love, Samantha.

Chbosky adapted the screenplay from his own novel and will also direct the film. Filming is due to start this summer.

In a March 7 message to fans on her Web site, Watson wrote: “As you know, I love Brown and I love studying pretty much more than anything but recently I’ve had so much to juggle that being a student AND fulfilling my other commitments has become a little impossible. I’ve decided to take a bit of time off to completely finish my work on Harry Potter (the last one comes out this summer) and to focus on my other professional and acting projects. I will still be working towards my degree…it’s just going to take me a semester or two longer than I thought ”

Source: WWD.com

“Social consciousness, and the focus responsible consumption are the real challenges now: can it make our future better,” explains the actress, who this year we will see for the first time without the role of Hermione Granger next in My Week with Marilyn with Michelle Williams and Kenneth Branagh. “Consumers are the only ones able to make a difference, the future of the planet depends on their choices. I believe in this project because, especially in the fashion world, there are not enough ethical propositions to choose from.”

Where do you get inspiration?
Environmental sustainability and business fair were the slogans with which we began to design the whole collection. Then, of course, is to be romantic, comfortable and close to both my taste and the sensibility of Alberta, who was able to interpret my desires with her incredible taste and with her ​​creativity, without being vulgar.

What is the message you want to convey through this collection?
There is nothing better than to dress in organic clothes. Natural, comfortable, sustainable and, perhaps, even more beautiful than those produced with synthetic materials and chemicals.

But to create a luxury product that is also sustainable is realistically a challenge?
No longer a challenge, and now an achievement! I am absolutely pleased with the result of style, comfort and quality achieved by this collection!

Your generation, compared to previous ones, are more involved in the case of ecology?
Yes, I am absolutely convinced. And it’s a relief: finally – after years of unconsciousness, and even a bit of neglect – we have reached the realization of irreparable damage to the planet, and of mankind. The Earth has limits that must not be exceeded: the resources they need for their life cycle are inviolable. We must sensitize society towards becoming responsible people, who did not ultimately only profit from, but consider its impact on all our futures.

The collection will be sold only online. Do you like to shop at the computer?
A lot! And it’s a revolution in shopping world. You can achieve whatever you want from the comfort of your own home .. Incredible!

In addition to (neo) designer, you are a style icon. What are the must-haves of your wardrobe?
My basic wardrobe, unequivocally. Few pants, easy to wear, yet comfortable and stylish. How soft and comfortable flats, or the skinny jeans and any garment of soft and warm cashmere.

Your favorite color?
I love all the natural colors, not altered by chemical processes. But surely the favorite and the cream. Discreet, elegant.

You are a reference for the girls of her generation. Do you feel you should be a model?
I do not think I “ought” to be a model of reference for my fame. But I want to do something good by using my public image and reputation.

What do they have in common – and how do they influence – film and fashion?
Historically, the cinema and fashion are two languages ​​intertwined: they inspire each other. Rework the past, and with a new appeal, creates a different language towards the future.

Produced with materials and techniques that are environmentally friendly and made in Italy, the collection is labeled Pure Threads by Emma Watson Alberta Ferretti and will be available exclusively on albertaferretti.com beginning March 21.

“Rather than an opportunity, this is an urgent project,” said Ferretti. “Ecological materials cost twice as much, and selling online is a way to reach customers around the world faster, while containing costs.”

Part of the proceeds will be donated to People Tree, a nonprofit organization Watson supports. People Tree collaborates with manufacturers in 15 developing countries and stimulates small companies to produce low-impact clothing.

The collection, whose packaging is also environmentally friendly, consists of five pieces: two dresses, a shirt, a long skirt and a pair of denim shorts, all enriched with lace embroideries and made with organic fabrics such as cotton poplin, cotton muslin and hemp. “Emma had a Jane-Birkin-in-the-Seventies image in mind,” said Ferretti of the inspiration. While more accessible to a wide range of customer than her signature collection, the designs, Ferretti said, still feature her feminine and romantic touches. Prices range from 250 euros, or $345, to 850 euros, or $1,173 at current exchange.

“I’m pleased that a luxury brand such as Alberta Ferretti has decided to create ecological clothes,” said Watson. “I believe this is a big step forward for all of the international fashion industry, but also an important step for an increased sensitivity to the problem of ecology.”

“I’m grateful Emma accepted this creative partnership that can contribute to fashion and to the health of the planet,” said Ferretti of Watson. The actress, internationally known for her role as Hermione in the “Harry Potter” films for more than a decade, has worn Ferretti designs over the years and is emerging as a fashion plate on the red carpet, in addition to appearing in Burberry’s ads.

“She’s an actress I’ve followed since her early days. I like her freshness, her spontaneity and simplicity,” said Ferretti. “She is intelligent, with a strong personality, a young, modern girl of today but aware of social issues at the same time and very rigorous. This is a moment that demands strong attention to these issues and we can help in communicating them,” said the designer.

Source: WWD.com

DANIEL Radcliffe drips his way into the white marquee, his T-shirt, jeans and hair soaking wet with water. As he sits down, a small puddle of water forming around his feet, he begins to inspect his blackened fingernails, before directing his gaze at me.

“How long have I kept you waiting?” he asks apologetically.

Following behind the 21-year-old are co-stars Emma Watson, dressed in the typical garb of alter ego Hermione Granger – an ill-fitting purple hoodie and dirtied grey jeans – and Rupert Grint, who is channelling character Ron Weasley in a baggy T-shirt and jeans.

The trio are at Leavesden Studios, just outside Watford, where the seventh and final chapter of the Harry Potter franchise, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, is being filmed. And by the looks of it, they’re being put through their paces.

The gang have just finished filming a pulse-pounding foot chase, as they try to outrun a gang of Voldemort’s Snatchers, and this has clearly unleashed some healthy rivalry between the stars.

“I do a hell of a lot of running in this film, and I’m achy and stiff,” admits Watson, 20, collapsing into her chair. “I’ve pulled a lot of muscles, but it’s good fun. I definitely gave the boys a run for their money.”

Grint, 22, adds: “It got quite intense, especially since we were having to dodge between trees and jump over logs. I don’t exercise so it was quite hard.”

Radcliffe interrupts: “All those years of training with the stunt team finally paid off. There was no question in my mind that I could beat them, not that I’m competitive or anything.”

The David Yates-directed film, based on JK Rowling’s bestseller, is split into two parts. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1, is released next Friday, while the finale, which will also be shown in 3D, won’t be out until July, 2011.

“It’s frustrating for fans,” admits Radcliffe. “But not everyone is willing to sit through a six-hour film. This was the only way we could tell JK Rowling’s story in a complete and fulfilling way.”

The story picks up where Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince left off, with Harry’s arch-enemy Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) continuing his mission to kill the boy wizard, who has now left the comfort zone of Hogwarts School with his two friends.

“Right until the end, we’re not in Hogwarts at all. It makes a huge difference and gives the film a really different feel,” Radcliffe continues.

Instead, filming has taken place around England, Scotland and Wales, as well as at Leavesden and Pinewood studios.

“It’s nice to be out of the studio. It’s such an emotionally heavy film, it’s good to do something more physical,” says Watson, who has taken a break from her studies at Brown University in the US to focus on filming.

But being away from the safety of school is clearly making the trio more vulnerable to Voldemort and his dark ways, as their final scene demonstrates.

Friction is also building up between the two teenage boys, as Ron gets paranoid about Hermione and Harry becoming closer.

“It’s a different Ron to the one we’re more familiar with. He erupts and shows his dark side,” says Grint.

Radcliffe nods vigorously, adding: “Both Harry and Rupert are in the wrong and they know it, but in a very male way. When you’ve waded too deep to get out, it escalates and the situation severs their friendship briefly.”

Having left school, the boys are now free to follow their hearts, without fear of detention, and that leads to some racy scenes.

“People wonder what would happen if Harry and Hermione got together and they get to see that happening. It’s quite funny,” Radcliffe reveals. “I’m covered head to toe in silver body glitter.”

The Harry Potter phenomenon, which began 10 years ago, has turned the trio from unknown child actors into multi-millionaires, propelling them to Hollywood fame – and yet, they appear as grounded and down-to-earth as they must have been when they first began filming.

“I’ve got to give credit to my parents and the people on set, because if I’m acting like an idiot, they’ll tell me,” says Radcliffe.

“In America, people have told me actors are treated like superior beings. I know some of them, and you wouldn’t trust them to sit the right way round on toilets. We’re as flawed and as idiotic as anyone else, and nobody should place us on any kind of pedestals.”

Red-headed Grint adds: “Filming in Watford isn’t quite like filming in Hollywood. I’m only aware of my fame at premieres.”

Their fortunes may allow them to enjoy early retirement, but the three actors have no plans to rest easy: “I still have ambitions as an actress. There’s definitely more to see,” assures Watson.

“I love working and I have no plans to stop,” agrees Grint.

Radcliffe, who has enjoyed theatre stints in the west end and on Broadway in Equus, adds: “I feel like I have to work more than other people my age because it’s partly about proving a point.

“If I, after doing this massive series of films and starting so young, can forge a career for myself through a lot of hard work and enthusiasm, then I pave the way for future generations of child actors.

“Having money gives you room to manoeuvre. I don’t have to do a job for money. At the moment, I can be selective, based on my own passion and enthusiasm.”

Despite his awesome wealth, Radcliffe claims he’s no spendthrift: “I don’t own a car. I buy a lot of music and books and not too much extravagance – aside from those two diamond-encrusted lions,” he jokes.

Grint admits he has invested in an ice cream van, and Watson, who has fashioned out modelling contracts with Burberry and People Tree, is just enjoying the “simplicity” of university life.

“I sleep all the time. I don’t own a TV and I share a room with another girl. I have four pairs of jeans and no entourage,” she says.

With the end nigh for Harry Potter, plenty of tears will be shed as they wave goodbye to their alter egos.

“I’ll miss the relationships I have with the crew and that feeling of family,” says Radcliffe. “I’ll also miss playing the character. There are very few characters like this. It’s very cool to play a hero and I may not have that again.”

Watson, however, refuses to believe it, saying: “I’m in denial. We’ve got till next summer.”

And Grint adds: “It’s daunting and scary because we’ve been contained in the Harry Potter bubble. But I can’t wait to change my hair colour.”

Radcliffe quips: “Being in Harry Potter is a lot like being in the Mafia, in that once you’re in, you’re never really out. We are inextricably linked to each other for the rest of our lives.”

And on that note, the trio are whisked back to continue filming.

Source: Press and Journal

This week, the seventh and penultimate film – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Rowling’s finale having been divided into two parts with the second due mid-2011 – marks the beginning of the end of the most successful book-to-film franchise in history.

For Daniel Radcliffe, as Harry, Rupert Grint as trusty sidekick Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson as the pretty, precocious Hermione Granger, the films have defined their adolescence. As they stood meekly on Platform 9, ready to board the Hogwarts Express in Philosopher’s Stone, the three were also on their way to becoming the most-recognised child stars in a generation.

“Oh, my God, that scene feels like a lifetime ago,” admits Watson, wide-eyed, as she recalls her first moments boarding the Harry Potter juggernaut.

“At the very beginning, when everything was new, I was just full of wonder and amazement because it was such an exciting time in my life.

But now I feel weirdly disconnected from that – it feels like another person, because it was so long ago. It’s so hard to even remember back to then.”

Her hazy recollection is understandable. After all, she was just 9 when she was cast as Hermione and the past 11 years have been a blur of eight films, countless premieres, press, publicity and photo shoots.

In fact, she’s crammed more into a decade than most adults – or actors – do in their whole career. No wonder those days are such a daze.

“There have been times when I’ve wanted to throw my hands up and go: ‘take it all away, give it to someone else; it’s too much, I can’t cope; I can’t deal with it, I don’t want it,’ because it has been pretty overwhelming,” admits Watson.

“But, now it’s coming to an end, I can step back and really start to appreciate it. Now it feels good – it feels so satisfying – to have completed all seven of the books, all eight of the movies and seen Hermione through from beginning to end,” she beams, proudly. “I can’t believe I’ve actually managed it. What Dan, Rupert and I have done is unique. To inhabit these characters for 10 years, through a period of our lives when we’ve changed so much, feels like such an achievement.”

Perhaps Watson’s biggest achievement is that she’s managed to fulfill her ambition while remaining a straight-A student, both at school and, more recently, at Brown University in the United States. She’s also remained seemingly unaffected by her fame and fortune, as she’s evolved from ingenue to seasoned pro, despite growing-up in the spotlight during one of the most difficult times of anyone’s life – the transition from child, to teenager, to adult.

“Sometimes, it wasn’t the easiest thing to cope with, growing up in public,” she sighs.

“It’s strange meeting people who think they know you, just because they’ve seen and read all about me. People will also say very personal things to me, which is weird. It’s as if the normal boundaries that exist, when you meet someone you don’t know, just vanish. That can be lovely, sometimes, but it’s also very disconcerting. I’ve had to learn to adapt and put myself on guard a lot more than I would, because I’m quite an open, honest person.”

An example of the intense interest surrounding her every move has been the reaction to Watson’s recent hairdo, a gamine crop which she reveals was modelled on Mia Farrow’s hairstyle in Rosemary’s Baby.

“I can’t believe the fuss over it,” she giggles. “I did it because I love it and wanted it [like this] for such a long time, but wasn’t allowed to. I guess it’s just my way of trying to get my head around the fact that I’m entering a new phase of my life as me, not Hermione.

“I was actually beaming when it was cut off, because I’ve spent more than half my life with someone else’s haircut and now I just want to be me and have my hair how I want it,” she adds, smiling. “It’s very liberating; it feels like a fresh start, a new chapter.”

Although she’s excited by the prospect of life after Harry Potter – and her new hairdo – Watson admits that filming the last few scenes for The Deathly Hallows were distressing.

“I felt really sad and there were a lot of tears, because I’ll miss playing her,” she says. “Hermione feels like an old friend and I couldn’t have asked for a better role, because she’s so complex and interesting.

“But part of me is also relieved, because I’ve been playing the same part for 10 years now and I’m ready to do something new,” asserts Watson. “I’m excited to see what comes next and just to have time to daydream, make mistakes, figure things out and try different things that I maybe missed out on during my teenage years.”

Not that Watson will be resting on her laurels, or taking it easy, as she’s set to return to university to complete her degree, is designing ethical clothes for Fair Trade label People Tree and has recently signed-on to film My Week With Marilyn, alongside big names stars like Dame Judi Dench, Michelle Williams and Kenneth Branagh.

“I just want to do everything. I want to model, keep learning, continue to act and maybe even write a book, because I’m interested in lots of different things,” she asserts, explaining her helter-skelter, post-Potter schedule. “I still haven’t figured out what to do with the rest of my life because I’m only 20. I think people forget that – and that most people my age don’t know what they want to do, either. That’s the dilemma I’m facing at the moment – what to do with my future.

“But one thing I know is that I will definitely keep myself as busy as possible because I’m actually I’m a bit of a workaholic,” Watson concedes, blushing. “I go absolutely berserk if I don’t do anything for a single day. So, the idea of not ever doing anything, ever again, is my worst nightmare.”

Ironically, Watson admits that the one thing she’s had the most doubts about is whether to continue with acting – until she watched herself in The Deathly Hallows and realised that she could hold her own with seasoned pros like Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham-Carter.

“I really wasn’t sure if I wanted to carry on with acting, or that I could even do it. But then I saw this film and changed my mind,” she acknowledges.

“I’m really proud of my performance in it and that’s given me a lot of confidence that acting is something I should be doing.

“You know, being in Harry Potter has really changed me. It’s made me a lot stronger person than I used to be,” concludes Watson. “After this experience, I feel like I can do anything – and deal with anything – that life throws at me. Maybe that’s why I’m not scared about the future?

“If anything, I’m just excited to see what comes next,” she insists.

“I mean, I’m sure I’ll feel very nervous when I step on set for my next film – part of me will be saying; ‘God, can I do this?’ because I’ve played the same role for 10 years. But that’s just self-doubt. I know, in my head, that I love to act and love to perform. It’s what I’ve always loved to do. So, yes, there will be more to come from me, definitely.”

If Watson has her way, you know that she – more than anyone else – will surely be the one to escape from the child star syndrome and Harry Potter’s death eaters unscathed, to live and act another day.

Source: New Zealand Herald

Turning their attention back to the hunt for the Horcruxes, there are new clues to piece together, specifically about the peculiar symbol that keeps cropping up–the circle within the triangle with a line through the center. It is Harry who remembers the first time they ever saw it: on a pendant worn by Xenophilius Lovegood.

The three have been focused on finding and destroying the Horcruxes, but suddenly a new mystery presents itself. They don’t know if the symbol they’ve been seeing is somehow connected to their search, but it does appear to be significant, so Harry, Hermione and Ron set out for the Lovegood house.

Stuart Craig says that the home was patterned after Rowling’s description in the book, noting, “Jo specified that the house is a black tower, so I wanted to be true to that. We gave it a deliberate taper and then made it lean, and the interior is as skewed as the exterior.”

Dominating the main floor of the house is an old-fashioned printing press, with belts of paper running the length of the ceiling. Since it is also the home of Luna Lovegood, her artwork is proudly displayed on every wall. Evanna Lynch was also asked to lend her inspiration to the décor. McMillan says, “Evanna has a wonderful eye and came up with some great ideas. The end result is wonderfully eclectic, but homey.”

When Harry asks Xenophilius about the symbol he wears, it turns out they had the answer with them all along. It is the sign of the Deathly Hallows from an old fable in The Tales of Beetle the Bard, the book left to Hermione by Dumbledore.

As she reads the story aloud, the symbol’s meaning is revealed: the triangle is the Invisibility Cloak, to shield the wearer from Death; the circle represents the Resurrection Stone, to recall loved ones from Death; and the straight line denotes the Elder Wand, one more powerful than any other wand in existence. Two of the Deathly Hallows–the Invisibility Cloak and the Resurrection Stone–seem to have some basis in fact. So if the fable is true and the Elder Wand does exist, then Voldemort will stop at nothing to obtain it. And if he does, it might render the search for the Horcruxes meaningless.

Just as the significance of the story becomes clear, so does the danger they’re in. Harry, Ron and Hermione must run for their lives, with the Snatchers, led by Scabior (Nick Moran), in close pursuit. The pulse-pounding foot chase was shot in the Swinley Forest in Berkshire, where both David Yates and Greg Powell admit they initially underestimated the athletic abilities of their young cast. The director explains, “I figured I’d have to do one take just to let them get a feel for the rough terrain before telling them they’d have to run faster. Then I called ‘Action,’ and, whoosh, they were gone!”

Powell echoes, “To be honest, I had told the stuntmen they would have to slow down because they would outpace the actors, but that went completely out the window on the first shot, because the three of them took off like gazelles and left my guys standing in the dust.”

Filming the scene also generated some healthy competition between Daniel, Emma and Rupert, who regarded it as more of a race than a chase. “All those years of training with the stunt team finally paid off. There was no question in my mind that I could beat them…not that I’m competitive or anything,” Radcliffe deadpans.

“It got quite intense,” Grint adds, “especially since we were having to dodge between trees and jump over logs. It was a lot of fun though.”

Watson confirms, “It was pretty funny, especially when David had to take us aside and say, ‘I just want to remind you that this scene is not about which one of you can run the fastest.’ But I definitely gave the boys a run for their money,” she smiles.

In the instant the Snatchers are about to overtake them, Hermione flattens Harry with a Stinging Jinx to hide his identity behind extremely swollen features. Special make-up effects designer Nick Dudman and his team used a silicone material to distend Radcliffe’s face. “It was tricky,” Dudman says “because the only thing on Dan’s face that’s actually him is one eye. Every detail had to be perfect, down to his eyebrows and stubble, which had to be inserted into the make-up, one hair at a time. My people, Steve Murphy and Paula Eden, did a fantastic job. It took three hours to apply, but Dan was a trouper.”

The one feature the Stinging Jinx cannot mask is Harry’s lightning scar, which, while distorted, is still barely visible. Believing they may have caught the ultimate prize, the Snatchers deliver their quarry to Malfoy Manor.

The design for the outside of the house was inspired by Hardwick Hall, a Tudor-era mansion that Craig has long admired. He elaborates, “It has these enormous windows, which, especially at night, have a mysterious, slightly threatening, and magical quality to them–huge areas of glass with seemingly nothing but darkness behind them. So the exterior was terrific, and then we invented an interior to match.”

At the manor, Bellatrix Lestrange and the Malfoys are waiting. Now the only thing standing between Harry and certain death is his Hogwarts nemesis, Draco, who is faced with a life-altering choice between identifying his former classmate and thereby restoring his family’s standing with the Dark Lord, or restoring his own soul.

Radcliffe observes, “What’s great about the story is the complexity of good versus evil. It isn’t always a clear split between the characters. Even Harry is obviously connected to Voldemort, so there are people we have always seen as evil who have good in them and good people who are seriously flawed.”

It turns out that Harry, Hermione and Ron are not the only ones imprisoned at Malfoy Manor. The Death Eaters are also holding Luna Lovegood, the goblin Griphook (Warwick Davis), and the wand maker, Ollivander. A possible rescue comes from an unlikely source…but only at a great sacrifice.

The last house seen in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1″ stands in stark contrast to the grandeur of Malfoy Manor: a cottage that appears to be made entirely out of shells. Prefabricated in workshops at Leavesden, the house was then constructed on a beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Craig recalls, “We chose that beach because it had great sand dunes and also because David wanted white water and the sound of crashing waves. But those waves came at a price because the beach had incredibly high winds. The entire structure had to be heavily fortified and weighted down with giant water bottles that were several tons each just to keep the whole thing stabilized and stop it from blowing over.”

David Heyman remarks, “Being out on location for this film provided a sense of scale and verisimilitude, especially since the story takes us away from the familiar setting of Hogwarts and puts us on the road with Harry, Ron and Hermione.”

Composer Alexandre Desplat, who created his first Harry Potter score for “The Deathly Hallows – Part 1,” agrees. “Our heroes are constantly in motion, so I wanted the music to follow the thread of their journey, and find just the right balance between the action, suspense and emotion.”

“Alexandre’s music expresses so many different colors and emotions,” says Heyman. “His score has scale and intimacy, darkness and light.”

“My goal was to give the film an original musical imprint,” Desplat continues. “At the same time, I wanted to carry on the rich musical tradition of the composers who have scored the previous Harry Potter films in keeping with the series’ great heritage.”

David Barron reflects, “That is what makes these films so incredible to work on–that they have a rock solid foundation, which began with Jo’s books. The most important thing to us was to make a film fitting the material she created.”

“It all begins and ends with Jo; we wouldn’t be here without her,” Heyman states. “I feel privileged to have worked on Harry Potter for more than a decade. It has been inspiring, challenging and an awful lot of fun.”

Yates says, “I’m particularly thrilled and proud that I’m the director who gets to bring the climax of her great story to the audience. That’s what I’m looking forward to.”

Source: Snitch Seeker