Emma Watson Speaks on Six-Month Driving Ban

Emma Watson has spoken publicly for the first time about a six-month UK driving ban she received after being caught driving 38 mph in a 30 mph zone in Oxford in July 2024; the penalty followed nine existing points on her licence and included a fine. On Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast she called the episode “humbling,” said her phone “went mad” with international coverage and supportive messages, and explained her limited practical driving experience was partly due to film productions not insuring stars to drive. Watson said she has taken up cycling, which proved fortuitous during the disqualification, and framed the incident as a learning moment amid her decision to step back from acting to focus on university study and activism. She also addressed her strained relationship with J.K. Rowling, saying she treasures past personal experiences with the author, remains open to dialogue despite serious disagreements over Rowling’s views on transgender people, and believes complex feelings can coexist.