Editing Emma Watson (section)

=== 2017–present: Recent career and hiatus ===
[[File:Emma Watson Circle 5.png|thumb|upright|left|Watson promoting ''[[The Circle (2017 film)|The Circle]]'' in 2017]]
Watson starred as [[Belle (Disney character)|Belle]] in the [[Beauty and the Beast (2017 film)|2017 live-action Disney adaptation]] of ''[[Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)|Beauty and the Beast]]'' directed by [[Bill Condon]], and starring opposite [[Dan Stevens]] as the [[Beast (Disney character)|Beast]].<ref name=Stevens>{{cite news |last=Kit |first=Borys |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/disneys-beauty-beast-casts-dan-779323 |title=Disney's ''Beauty and the Beast'' Casting Dan Stevens as the Beast |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=4 March 2015 |access-date=5 March 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305215127/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/disneys-beauty-beast-casts-dan-779323 |archive-date=5 March 2015}}</ref><!-- Source cites Watson interview with Total Film magazine, which requires purchase. --> She was given autonomy within Belle's portrayal; she re-characterised her as an assistant to her inventor father and incorporated [[bloomers]] and [[boot]]s into her wardrobe.<ref name="Vanity Fair">{{cite magazine |last1=Blasberg |first1=Derek |title=Cover Story: Emma Watson, Rebel Belle |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/02/emma-watson-cover-story |magazine=Vanity Fair |date=28 February 2017 |access-date=27 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712094840/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/02/emma-watson-cover-story |archive-date=12 July 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> The film grossed over $1.2&nbsp;billion at the worldwide box office and emerged as the [[2017 in film|second-highest-grossing film of 2017]] and the 17th-highest-grossing film of all time.<ref name="BeautyandtheBeastReception" /> Her reported fee was $3&nbsp;million upfront with [[Profit sharing|profit participation]], bringing her salary up to $15&nbsp;million.<ref name=BatB-pay>{{cite news |last=Sager |first=Rebekah |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/how-emma-watson-is-getting-paid-beauty-beast-986316 |title=''Beauty and the Beast'' breaks records: Is Emma Watson now Hollywood's most sought after actress? |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=21 March 2017 |access-date=3 April 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170426020601/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/how-emma-watson-is-getting-paid-beauty-beast-986316 |archive-date=26 April 2017}}</ref> The film garnered positive reviews; [[Richard Roeper]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' thought her performance was "all pluck and spunk and sass and smarts and fierce independence as Belle".<ref name="BeautyandtheBeastReception">{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/beauty_and_the_beast_2017 |title=Beauty and the Beast (2017) |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes |date=17 March 2017 |access-date=11 December 2017 |archive-date=11 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171211204754/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/beauty_and_the_beast_2017/ |url-status=live}}<br>{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=beautyandthebeast2017.htm |title=Beauty and the Beast (2017) |publisher=Box Office Mojo |access-date=18 September 2017 |archive-date=26 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190826163452/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=beautyandthebeast2017.htm |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-reviews/beauty-and-the-beast-review-9971177 |title=Beauty and the Beast review: Irresistible charm shows no one casts a spell quite like Disney |author=Chris Hunneysett |work=[[Daily Mirror]] |date=17 March 2017 |access-date=27 April 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170910200005/http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-reviews/beauty-and-the-beast-review-9971177 |archive-date=10 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lavish 'Beauty and the Beast' true as it can be to original |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2017/3/15/18322097/lavish-beauty-and-the-beast-true-as-it-can-be-to-original |last=Roeper |first=Richard |date=15 March 2017 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |access-date=25 May 2020 |archive-date=10 September 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170910202458/http://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment/lavish-beauty-and-the-beast-true-as-it-can-be-to-original/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Watson later said "When I finished the film, it kind of felt like I had made that transition into being a woman on-screen".<ref name="Vanity Fair" />

In the same year, she starred opposite [[Tom Hanks]] in the [[The Circle (2017 film)|film adaptation]] of [[Dave Eggers]]' novel ''[[The Circle (Eggers novel)|The Circle]]'' as Mae Holland, who begins working at a powerful tech corporation and enters a perilous situation concerning [[surveillance]] and freedom.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ew.com/article/2015/06/24/emma-watson-the-circle-tom-hanks |title=Emma Watson to star in ''The Circle'' opposite Tom Hanks |work=Entertainment Weekly's EW.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626003401/http://www.ew.com/article/2015/06/24/emma-watson-the-circle-tom-hanks |archive-date=26 June 2015}}</ref> The film received negative reviews but was a moderate box office success.<ref name=NUM>{{cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Circle-The-(2016)#tab=summary |title=''The Circle'' (2017) |work=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]] |access-date=28 November 2017 |archive-date=3 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803194103/https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Circle-The-(2016)#tab=summary |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2019, Watson starred as [[Meg March]] in [[Greta Gerwig]]'s [[Little Women (2019 film)|adaptation]] of [[Louisa May Alcott]]'s novel ''[[Little Women]]'', co-starring with [[Saoirse Ronan]], [[Florence Pugh]], [[Laura Dern]], [[Timothée Chalamet]], and [[Meryl Streep]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/972647-emma-watson-replacing-emma-stone-in-sonys-little-women-movie |title=Emma Watson Replacing Emma Stone in Sony's Little Women Movie |work=Comingsoon.net |author=Spencer Perry |date=24 August 2018 |access-date=24 August 2018 |archive-date=25 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180825062622/http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/972647-emma-watson-replacing-emma-stone-in-sonys-little-women-movie |url-status=live}}</ref> On the premise, Watson has stated "I think [''Little Women''] was good literary device to explain that there's not one way to be a feminist.... [Meg's] way of being a feminist is making the choice – because that's really, for me anyway, what feminism is about. Her choice is that she wants to be a full-time mother and wife."<ref>{{cite web |title=Emma Watson on turning 30, Little Women and becoming a voice for change |url=https://www.vogue.com.au/celebrity/interviews/emma-watson-on-turning-30-little-women-and-becoming-a-voice-for-change/image-gallery/90482f3feb644ba18b71ba17a23390a3 |website=Vogue Australia |date=30 January 2020 |access-date=28 December 2020 |archive-date=26 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926093044/https://www.vogue.com.au/celebrity/interviews/emma-watson-on-turning-30-little-women-and-becoming-a-voice-for-change/image-gallery/90482f3feb644ba18b71ba17a23390a3 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Forbes]]'' stated that "Watson has perhaps the most challenging [...] role, as the proverbial [[Straight man|straight woman]] of the sisters who is put on the defensive when her dreams end up being the most conventional of the lot."<ref>{{cite web |title='Little Women' Review: Greta Gerwig Makes An Old Story Feel New Again |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2019/11/25/little-women-review-greta-gerwig-saoirse-ronan-emma-watson-florence-pugh-timothee-chalamet/ |website=Forbes |access-date=28 December 2020 |archive-date=29 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229191742/https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2019/11/25/little-women-review-greta-gerwig-saoirse-ronan-emma-watson-florence-pugh-timothee-chalamet/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The film was critically acclaimed and grossed over $218 million against its $40 million budget.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/little_women_2019 |title=Little Women (2019) |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=9 December 2019 |archive-date=16 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116175328/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/little_women_2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Carras |first1=Christi |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-02-09/oscars-2020-little-women-greta-gerwig-costume-design |title=The only Oscar 'Little Women' won was for costume design |work=Los Angeles Times |date=9 February 2020 |access-date=5 July 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200210090147/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-02-09/oscars-2020-little-women-greta-gerwig-costume-design |archive-date=10 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Moreau |first1=Jordan |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/little-women-100-million-box-office-international-1234643991/ |title='Little Women' Crosses $100 Million at the International Box Office |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=21 June 2020 |access-date=5 July 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622013238/https://variety.com/2020/film/news/little-women-100-million-box-office-international-1234643991/ |archive-date=22 June 2020}}</ref>
In 2020, Watson discussed her future career plans, stating: "Having been so public in making films and being so active on social [media] in my activism, I am curious to embrace a role where I work to amplify more voices, to continue to learn from those with different experiences", adding that her work would include "fewer red carpets and more conference meetings".<ref name="Kering" />

In 2021, various reports surfaced stating that Watson was engaged or retiring.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mastroianni |first=Bianca |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/emma-watson-retires-from-acting-to-spend-time-with-boyfriend-leo-robinton/HF6QKIGHLZBSDE43EAD4IG2EHY/ |title=Emma Watson retires from acting to spend time with boyfriend Leo Robinton |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=23 February 2021 |access-date=24 February 2021 |archive-date=24 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224005623/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/emma-watson-retires-from-acting-to-spend-time-with-boyfriend-leo-robinton/HF6QKIGHLZBSDE43EAD4IG2EHY/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Romano |first=Nick |url=https://ew.com/celebrity/emma-watson-not-retiring-from-acting/ |title=Emma Watson isn't retiring from acting {{mdash}} despite what you may have heard online |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=25 February 2021 |access-date=26 February 2021 |archive-date=26 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226000841/https://ew.com/celebrity/emma-watson-not-retiring-from-acting/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Watson and her representatives refuted these reports; she later labelled the speculation as [[clickbait]] and cited her relative public absence to continued [[social distancing]] during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Respers France |first1=Lisa |title=Emma Watson sets the record straight on work and love life |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/18/entertainment/emma-watson-addresses-rumors/index.html |publisher=CNN|date=18 May 2021 |access-date=20 May 2021 |archive-date=19 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519210457/https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/18/entertainment/emma-watson-addresses-rumors/index.html |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2022, Watson reunited with multiple cast members of the ''Harry Potter'' film series for an [[HBO Max]] special titled ''[[Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Harry Potter cast return to Hogwarts to mark 20th anniversary of first film |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/nov/17/harry-potter-cast-return-to-hogwarts-to-mark-20th-anniversary-of-first-film |access-date=24 December 2021 |work=The Guardian |archive-date=21 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121024928/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/nov/17/harry-potter-cast-return-to-hogwarts-to-mark-20th-anniversary-of-first-film |url-status=live}}</ref> The following year, Watson revealed in an interview with the ''[[Financial Times]]'' that a reason why she had not acted in almost five years was because she "wasn't very happy" with the profession and that she felt "a bit caged". However, she went on to say that she would "absolutely" return to acting while also saying, "But I'm happy to sit and wait for the next right thing. I love what I do. It's finding a way to do it where I don't have to fracture myself into different faces and people. And I just don't want to switch into robot mode any more."<ref>{{cite news |title=Emma Watson Hasn't Acted in Nearly Five Years Because She 'Wasn't Very Happy' and 'Felt a Bit Caged': I Will 'Absolutely' Act Again |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/emma-watson-acting-break-five-years-caged-1235600852/ |access-date=5 May 2023 |work=Variety |date=2 May 2023 |first=Zack |last=Sharf |archive-date=5 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505014729/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/emma-watson-acting-break-five-years-caged-1235600852/ |url-status=live}}</ref>