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Emma Watson has spoken out for the first time about being banned from driving in the UK for six months. In July, she was caught driving 38mph in a 30mph zone in Oxford. With nine points already on her license, she was handed a six-month suspension and a £1,044 fine.
On Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, Watson explained that she’s now riding a bicycle, which she says has been “particularly fortuitous” because of her driving ban. She admitted the news made her feel exposed. “Oh my God, my shame is everywhere,” she said, referring to how the story appeared on the BBC and international outlets.
She also found a silver lining, saying the experience allowed her to connect with others who had lost their licenses and share a laugh. Watson explained the speeding incident came from an “awkward transition” from her life as a celebrity to her academic routine. She’s been studying a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing at Oxford University since 2023, which meant she began driving more frequently and hadn’t yet built up the necessary experience.
The actress described the experience as humbling. “I’m like, ‘Emma, you can’t keep yourself at 30 miles an hour. You can’t do some pretty basic life things,’” she joked.
Watson also reflected on her post-Harry Potter career, calling it a painful experience because she expected Hollywood workplaces to foster friendships like the ones she had with Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint. “I came to work looking for friendship, and it was bone-breakingly painful,” she admitted, saying she was unprepared for how different other film sets were compared to the tight-knit community she grew up with on the Harry Potter films.
Her candid interview shows how she’s navigating both ordinary life challenges and the pressures of transitioning from child star to adult actor and student.