(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Emma Watson went to university in America because she was "in denial" about her fame.
The actress is gearing up to start promoting the final Harry Potter movie in the franchise. She is famed for her role as Hermione Granger, with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 released next month.
In 2009, Emma enrolled at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. She said she wanted a normal life like any other student and to step out of the limelight for a while. However, in March is was announced she was taking time out of her studies and when she returns to them in won't be at Brown. The 21-year-old has explained why she came to that decision, revealing she now feels happy to embrace her career and star status.
"I was in denial," she revealed to Sunday Times' Style magazine. "I wanted to pretend I wasn't as famous as I was. I was trying to seek out normality, but I kind of have to accept who I am, the position I'm in and what happened.
"I feel more comfortable with the fame now. It used to make me really uncomfortable. It's interesting. My dad's always giving me a hard time about my posture. The way I used to stand, it was almost as if I was apologising to everyone. I wanted to hide myself, but now - it's difficult, I still feel shy, but I feel more like I can accept it."
There were rumours bullying was the reason Emma decided to leave Brown, with claims her classmates would shout Harry Potter phrases at her. She's rubbished them, explaining she was never even asked for an autograph while there.
Emma landed the role of Hermione when she was nine, with the first movie released when she was 11. Becoming famous at such a young age had a profound effect on her, and she thinks that's something that will stay with her forever.
"I'm this very weird mix. In some senses, I feel as if I'm 100 years old. In others, I still feel incredibly young, very naive, and as if I haven't seen much of the world at all," she mused. "I've been incredibly protected, but in other ways I've had to be in situations that nobody my age would, to deal with pressure that nobody my age should usually deal with." (C) Cover Media