The movie Emma Watson admits her accent was “terrible” in
Despite the widespread admiration for The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the American accent Emma Watson adopted came as a surprising revelation for many. Riding on the success of the Harry Potter series, Watson transitioned from the iconic Hermione Granger to portray Sam, a spirited character who serves as the emotional core of the movie.
Despite Harry Potter evolving into one of the most extensive and beloved film franchises in history, Watson’s depiction of the brilliantly intelligent and determined Hermione didn’t always translate into the pinnacle of success for the actor. In reality, the role left her feeling somewhat “caged”, burdened by the sudden responsibility of being someone the media consistently sought opinions from.
In her own words: “To stand in front of a film and have every journalist be able to say, ‘How does this align with your viewpoint?’ It was very difficult to have to be the face and the spokesperson for things where I didn’t get to be involved in the process.”
Elaborating on her point, she added: “I was held accountable in a way that I began to find really frustrating because I didn’t have a voice, I didn’t have a say. And I started to realise that I only wanted to stand in front of things where if someone was going to give me flak about it, I could say, in a way that didn’t make me hate myself, ‘Yes, I screwed up, it was my decision, I should have done better.'”
In 2012, however, Watson was faced with a new opportunity, starring in a coming-of-age story alongside Logan Lerman. The Perks of Being a Wallflower was adapted from the 1999 Stephen Chbosky novel of the same name, tackling themes of teenage turbulence as we accompany Charlie through the challenges, trials, and victories he encounters during his first year of high school.
Although many appreciated Watson’s portrayal of the endearing Sam, the actor herself wasn’t particularly impressed with her own performance. As she explained: “My accent? I was really nervous. I think it sounded terrible!” she told MTV News. However, despite appearing nervous in the build-up to the film’s release, she remained optimistic. “It’s good. Having been out in Pittsburgh for four weeks – it’s okay. It’s good. I’m hopeful about it,” she added.
The actor might not have thought she aced the accent in this role, but the favourable reviews she received after the movie’s release told a different story. Although some agreed with Watson’s evaluation of her accent, there were plenty that suggested the American dialect suited her well.
