Emma Watson trades broom for boat: Former Harry Potter star rows for Oxford
Emma Watson is embracing a new role—this time, on the water instead of the screen. The former Harry Potter star, now 35, has been spotted rowing competitively as part of Oxford University's prestigious Summer Eights regatta, trading red carpet appearances for river calls.
Currently pursuing a graduate degree at Oxford since 2023, Watson took to the Thames as coxswain for her college crew, guiding her team with sharp commands and steady leadership. Dressed in a crisp white tank, baseball cap, and shades, she was seen confidently calling the shots from the helm, while her crew—decked out in striking black-and-purple uniforms and matching face paint—powered through the course.
Watson's pivot to rowing isn't just a casual hobby—it's the latest addition to a post-Hollywood chapter that's been as studious as it is athletic. Though she's largely stepped back from acting in recent years, she made a rare public appearance at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival just weeks before the regatta, marking her first return to the event since 2013's The Bling Ring premiere.
Before Oxford, Watson graduated from Brown University with a degree in English literature, balancing film roles with academic pursuits. Since wrapping up her decade-long run as Hermione Granger, she's deliberately kept a lower profile, opting for projects that align with her values and interests—including, it seems, a newfound passion for rowing.
From spells and scripts to strokes and scholarships, Emma Watson's journey is proof that reinvention can be as graceful as a well-timed race on the river.
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