Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson (yep, that's her full name!) was cast as Hermione Granger when she was just ten years old - and she's been a superstar ever since! She's not just an actress, she's a model, fashion icon, UN Women ambassador, advocate for the environment - and more! Learn all about her with these fifteen fabulous facts!

Don't forget to check out the rest of our Potter stuff! Learn all about Tom Felton, have a go at our Daniel Radcliffe quiz, or learn your Harry Potter name!

1. She was born in France!

She's known as an English actress, but Emma was actually born in Paris! Her parents were English lawyers, and Emma lived in France until the age of five. She still speaks a little French!

2. She always wanted to be an actress

Emma decided she wanted to be an actress at the age of six - though at first she said she wanted to be a "mattress"! She went to a part-time theatre school to learn singing, dancing and acting - but Harry Potter was her first professional acting job!

3. She was the perfect fit for Hermione

Emma went through eight auditions for the role of Hermione, but J.K. Rowling was behind her from the first one! J.K. spoke to Emma on the phone before meeting her, and knew she was perfect for the part, because she spoke for a whole minute without pausing to take a breath!

4. She went to school on set

Like the other Potter kids, Emma was educated by on-set tutors while filming Harry Potter. This is a legal requirement for children on film sets - they aren't allowed to work for as long as the adults, and they have to have up to five hours of lessons per day. Emma got straight As (of course)!

5. She's smart

It makes perfect sense that Hermione is super clever IRL! After wrapping Harry Potter, Emma went to Brown University, which is a very prestigious college in the US! She picked it because she liked the freedom that American universities offer students, and because it was a good place for her to have a normal college experience with no paparazzi! She graduated with a degree in English literature.

6. She celebrated the end of Potter with a brand new look

Emma marked the end of the Potter films by cutting her hair into a cute pixie style! It was her way of saying goodbye to an era - as Hermione she had to keep her hair long, so it was a way to celebrate her freedom! It was also a total style moment - lots of women copied Emma's new look!

7. She almost quit Hermione

Back when the films were coming out, there were a lot of rumours about the lead trio quitting because they were getting too old to play their parts. Emma talked about this in the 20th anniversary reunion, saying that fame was a bit much for her. Ultimately she realised she loved Hermione too much to let anyone else play her!

8. She's a yoga instructor!

Emma is a certified yoga and meditation instructor! She got her certificate in 2013 when she was figuring out her next move in life, and says that it helps her feel grounded and in touch with herself.

9. She loves the environment

The fashion industry is a big contributor to pollution and waste, so it's good to be mindful about your shopping choices. Emma totally agrees - she's the youngest board member for Kering, a company that owns a lot of luxury brands and is working to reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry. She also advocates for sustainable fashion, and wore a dress made of recycled plastic bottles to the Met Gala in 2016!

10. She could have been Cinderella!

Emma turned down the title role in the 2015 live-action Cinderella, directed by Kenneth Branagh (who played Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter, btw). She felt that she couldn't connect to the character, and the role went to Lily James instead. As you know, Emma did get to live out the Disney Princess dream when she played Belle in 2017's Beauty and the Beast!

11. She loves to journal

Journalling is a great way to get your feelings out, and Emma's really into it! She once said that she had about ten journals on the go, including a dream diary, a yoga diary, an advice diary, a diary about people she's met, and a collage book!

12. She had a book club

Emma's like Hermione in more ways than one! In 2016 Emma started a feminist book club on Goodreads, called Our Shared Shelf, where users would read and discuss one book every month. Sadly it's not active any more, but it enjoyed four years of reading and discussion!

13. Her favourite TV show is Friends

She's just like us! Emma says she can watch Friends reruns forever - it's comforting and makes her feel like everything will be okay!

14. She loves pasta

Emma's a big foodie, but when asked what her last meal of choice would be, she said it would probably include pasta!

15. She's a feminist icon

Where to even begin with Emma's feminist activism! She's always been outspoken about equality for women, and in 2014 she was appointed a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador. She gave a fantastic speech about their HeForShe campaign, which urges men to think about women's rights. The speech went viral and has millions of views on YouTube, and Malala Yousafzai called it inspirational! She's also one of the founding members of the Time's Up movement in the UK, which fights the harassment that women face. She's done SO MUCH more, but we don't have the space to list everything - good for Emma!