Emma Watson is taking a year off from Hollywood to focus on feminism

Emma Watson to take time off from acting.

(Image credit: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

published 19 February 2016

Emma Watson is saying goodbye to acting — but don't worry, it's just for a year. Instead, the Harry Potter star will be focusing on personal development, feminism, and her work as a U.N. Ambassador for the gender equality campaign HeforShe.

"I almost thought about going and doing a year of gender studies, then I realized that I was learning so much by being on the ground and just speaking with people and doing my reading," Watson said in a recent interview with Paper Magazine. "I was learning so much on my own. I actually wanted to keep on the path that I'm on. I'm reading a lot this year, and I want to do a lot of listening."

Watson says she plans on reading a book a week and also a book a month with her feminist book club to continue exploring new ideas and formulating her own opinions. "It's a really cool period of time for me. My work that I do for the U.N. is all very clearly outlined, but my personal views and opinions are still being defined, really," Watson said. "So it'll be an interesting time."