Emma Watson Kept a Sweet Memento from Her ‘Harry Potter’ Audition Days

Emma Watson hasn’t always been sure about her career path. The Harry Potter alum once wondered if she had the right personality to be an actor. However, Watson was always 100% sure she was destined to play Hermione Granger. An avid reader, the actor fell in love with the character she made famous on the pages of the well-loved novels. So, when she learned that the books were being adapted for the big screen, she knew she had to audition.

Emma Watson’s odds of becoming Hermione Granger were very low

Of course, the odds of Watson landing such a coveted role were astronomical. There was no shortage of girls vying to audition for the role of the film’s only female lead. And unlike Watson’s fellow cast member, Daniel Radcliffe, Watson didn’t have professional acting credits. The daughter of two lawyers, Watson also knew next to nothing about the entertainment industry. But even though the odds were against her, Watson was sure of her fate. In a conversation with Interview Magazine, she explained her affinity with Hermione.

The ‘Harry Potter’ actor felt connected to her character from the very beginning

“I loved the books—I was a massive fan,” Watson shared about her interest in Harry Potter. “I just felt like that part belonged to me. I know that sounds crazy, but from that first audition, I always knew. At the beginning, they were casting the other characters as well—but I always knew I was going out for Hermione. She came so naturally to me. Maybe so much of myself at the time was similar to her.”

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Watson’s certainty allowed her to keep progressing in the audition process. And while she was excited that she was getting closer to the finish line, it made her parents a bit nervous. They understood that their daughter’s odds weren’t good and didn’t want her to get her hopes up too high.

Watson’s parents were afraid their daughter would get her feelings hurt

“Of course, all this terrified my parents—there were literally thousands and thousands of girls going out for the audition, and my parents were anxious about what I would do if I didn’t get it,” Watson shared. Continuing on, the Noah actor shared that even her parents weren’t able to talk her out of her certainty. “They were trying to make me stay realistic—but I wasn’t having any of it,” she shared. “I was going to get that part.”

Watson kept a keepsake from her ‘Harry Potter’ audition days

But even though Watson knew that Hermione was meant for her, she still did everything she could to will the part into being hers. The Bling Ring actor waited by the phone for hours and even made a special wish. “This is a sweet thing: My dad did a roast on a Sunday, and he gave me the wishbone, and I obviously made the wish that I would get this role,” Watson shared. “I still have that wishbone upstairs in my jewelry box.”

It’s pretty sweet that Watson kept the wishbone as a keepsake. And while the memento could’ve played a role in her getting the part, it seems that her tenacity and assuredness likely helped her the most.