Has Emma Watson said goodbye to acting for good?
That's what some fans think after a report from The Daily Mail claimed that the Harry Potter alum's agent stated her career is "dormant," and her publicist confirmed she is "not taking on new commitments." According to a source for The Daily Mail, Emma is spending her work-free time with partner Leo Robinton, a Los Angeles-based businessman who she has been dating for over a year and is rumored to be engaged to.
Many fans flocked to social media to express their sadness over Emma's potential decision to quit the industry, with one tweeting, "Emma Watson just retired from acting could this year get any worse?" Another added, "I haven't even been awake for 10 minutes of the day to only discover Emma watson's retired from movies. Down horrendous today already."
A third shared, "Rumor has it Emma Watson retired from acting. Makes me kinda sad, I love her and her projects. But regardless I respect her decision and whatever makes HER happiest."
Still, some aren't convinced that the outspoken feminist is actually giving up on performing for good—just for now. One tweeted, "'emma watson' is trending because her agent is quoted by the Daily Mail as saying she's not taking on any new roles at the moment and this has been blown up into 'EMMA WATSON HAS RETIRED FROM ACTING!?!' Guys maybe she's just... taking some time off?"
Another wrote, "Emma Watson has not retired from acting. She is just not taking on any new commitments at the moment. Those are 2 very different things but ‘retirement' is a media headline grabber."
It's worth noting that this report isn't the only indication that Emma, who last appeared in the Oscar-winning Little Women adaptation in 2019, is at least taking a hiatus. The bio of her Instagram account, which boasts 59 million followers, reads "Emma's official Instagram page is currently dormant and is not being updated."
Whether Emma decides to return to the screen, or focus her attention elsewhere, she has legions of fans eager to see what she's going to do next.