The divorce of Emma Watson’s parents had a profound impact on her life, ultimately leading her to become one of the most prominent movie stars globally.

Although Emma Watson became famous as a child star, she didn’t get her acting bug from Mom and Dad. Her parents were both lawyers who were not familiar with the entertainment business.

While the Harry Potter actress showed early promise as a performer, her family placed a premium on brains, speech, and literacy.

Emma’s upbringing in a sober, realistic environment taught her to rationalize her feelings over her parents’ separation. The actress’s rise to stardom was fueled by her knowledge of love and the lessons it taught her.

What Was Emma Watson’s Childhood Like?

Emma Watson was raised in a household of wealthy academics, pertaining to her parents Chris Watson and Jacqueline Luesby. Despite the fact that Jacqueline and Chris divorced shortly after the birth of their second child, Alex, their daughter continued the family tradition of higher education and graduated from college in the middle of the 2010s.

Their parents decided to share custody of Emma and her younger brother, Alex. Jacqueline had returned to Oxford with the children after the split, and they had all agreed that their father would spend the weekends with them. Chris moved to England as well, but settled in London and established a vineyard.

Jacqueline provided for both of her children and made sure they had a pleasant childhood despite some difficulties. She managed to keep a strong rapport with her children and a cooperative relationship with her ex-husband throughout the ordeal.

Amidst the emotional turmoil, Emma’s parents were quite affluent and invested in great educational opportunities for her.

Chris remarried and had additional kids, while Jacqueline fell in love with someone who already had two kids from a previous marriage. Alex and Emma were always treated “as adults” by their parents, who never indulged them with “kids’ stuff.”

Jacqueline was in charge of punishment, and Chris wanted adult-level interactions with his kids. Even though they had a rather unique approach to parenting, it wasn’t overly restrictive. According to Evening Standard, Emma admitted in 2010 that she drank her first wine (diluted with water) when she was seven years old.

How Emma Watson Was Raised By Her Mom And Dad

Emma said in an interview with GQ that she attributes her strong moral compass to her upbringing. “I guess what really forms you as a person is what you do within your family to receive love or attention,” she revealed.

“In my family, what you had to do to receive attention was to have good conversation at the dinner table or for me to do well at school, and those were really my focuses because that was what was valued the most.”

Emma went on to say that her father, in particular, had an unusual approach to raising their family. He wasn’t the type to coddle her or her sibling. In addition, Emma disclosed that she believed her father was generally perplexed by the idea of having a daughter.

It’s possible that Emma benefited from her father’s approach to parenting. She matured with light speed due to her early exposure to the world of work and travel. It’s possible that she wasn’t as shocked by her newfound freedom because her father treated her in certain ways as an adult.

Both of Emma’s parents continued to treat her the same as her brother even after she became a famous celebrity. In fact, they appeared committed to keeping her in a place of humility.

“I think my parents were very focused on keeping me down to earth,” Emma admitted. “The biggest compliment I’ve ever had, getting ready for a premiere or whatever, is that I scrub up all right.”

Emma’s parents may have taken an unconventional approach, but their efforts appear to have worked off, as the two decades of her fame have passed without any major scandals—excluding controversies that have affected her indirectly, such as best friend Ezra Miller’s allegations.

How Emma Watson’s Parents’ Divorce Changed Her Life

According to Emma, she learned an invaluable lesson about love from her parents’ separation.

As a child of divorce, the 25-year-old actress and U.N. Women Goodwill ambassador acknowledged to Porter magazine, via HuffPost, that she is “endlessly fascinated with finding the perfect formula for making it work.”

“There aren’t any rules,” Emma, whose parents divorced when she was five, said is the most important thing she learned. Following in her Brown University-educated footsteps, she cited a phrase by the Indian spiritual teacher Osho, “Love never becomes wise, and that is its wisdom.”

Towards the end of their interview, the Brit gave some relationship advice, saying “Sit with the discomfort. Don’t run away from it. Lean into it, take your time with it,” she said. “So many people jump into things just because they can’t stand the discomfort of not knowing.”

Her casting as Hermione in the Harry Potter films was based on the same principle of allowing yourself to feel what you’re feeling. Even before she auditioned, Emma was confident that she would be cast, despite being afflicted by her parents’ relationship.

“I just felt like that part belonged to me,” Emma shared with Interview Magazine. “I know that sounds crazy, but from that first audition, I always knew. In 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.”

While Emma appeared to be aware of her fate, her parents were more realistic about her chances. Despite their admiration for their daughter’s enthusiasm, they worried that she wouldn’t get cast due to her inexperience.

“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,” Emma shared.

The actress’s parents tried to prepare her for the reality that they probably wouldn’t cast her in Harry Potter. But there was no convincing Emma. She knew that she was destined to play Hermione. “They were trying to make me stay realistic, but I wasn’t having any of it,” Emma shared. “I was going to get that part.”

Fortunately, Emma’s parents did not have to be anxious. Ultimately, she was able to beat off countless other candidates for one of the world’s most important roles.