Emma Watson breaks her silence on driving ban as she blames her movie star lifestyle for making her ‘unable to do some pretty basic life things’

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Emma Watson has blamed her movie star lifestyle for her driving ban.

In July, the 35-year-old Harry Potter actor was prohibited from driving for six months after being caught speeding at 38 miles per hour in an area with a 30 mph limit.

She already had nine points on her licence before the offence, which took place in Oxford. 

She explained that she began receiving penalty points on her driving record in 2023 when she started attending Oxford University. Before that, she’d always been driven to work, like to movie sets, but university required her to drive herself everywhere.

Emma, who started cycling after being disqualified, said she’s been surprised by how difficult even simple, everyday tasks have become, calling it a ‘humbling’ experience.

In an interview with the ‘On Purpose with Jay Shetty’ podcast, she explained the unusual situation of being unable to get insurance to drive herself to movie sets. Apparently, it’s common practice in the film industry to not allow actors to self-drive due to insurance liabilities.

‘I’ve asked so many times, you have to be driven, it’s not a choice.

Honestly, it’s just… they *need* me there, like, constantly. Every single minute matters to them, it totally depends on what they’re doing, and I have to be ready to jump in whenever! It’s a lot, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I used to only drive on weekends or during holidays, but once I started studying, I began driving constantly.

Looking back, I definitely lacked the experience and skills I have now. It was a difficult shift, moving from a very structured life to one where I was suddenly responsible for figuring things out on my own and getting myself where I needed to be.

‘And I would do this thing that I’ve basically not done since I was 10 years old.

This experience has been a real learning curve, and honestly, it’s been quite humbling. On a movie set, I’m used to handling really difficult tasks – stunts, singing, dancing, anything they throw at me. I’m always confident and say, ‘Don’t worry, I can do it!’

When I get home, I often find myself frustrated, thinking, ‘Emma, you keep losing things like your keys and money, and you struggle to even drive the speed limit. It’s hard to manage some simple everyday tasks.’

There were times I felt like telling people, ‘I used to be skilled at things, I really was. It doesn’t seem that way now, but I’m capable, and I can function like a normal person.’

‘So, yeah, it’s been humbling.’

Emma hasn’t appeared in a movie since completing Greta Gerwig’s Little Women in December 2018.

She rose to fame aged 10 starring as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series.

I’ve actually taken up cycling recently, and yes, I was already enjoying bike rides before my driving ban came into effect. It’s been a wonderful new hobby!

‘But now it’s particularly fortuitous that I also ride a bicycle for that reason.’

She described being overwhelmed when she first heard about the ban, explaining she received a flood of phone calls as the news spread internationally, even appearing on the BBC.

‘I was like, my shame is everywhere.

Surprisingly, the best part of the whole thing was hearing from so many people who’d gone through the same thing. It was comforting to get messages saying they understood how awful it was and that they’d felt the same way.

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2025-09-24 17:04