Emma Watson's Praise For Rupert Grint Is Not What You'd Expect

Now that we've all wiped our eyes and composed ourselves after watching the Harry Potter 20th reunion special on HBO, we're enjoying digging deeper into the cast's reflections on the series. For example, we were particularly struck by one thing Emma Watson, aka Hermione Granger, said in an interview about her former co-star Rupert Grint, a.k.a. Ron Weasley. We'd expect the actor and women's rights activist to praise Grint's acting ability or how well he was able to embody his character. But Watson noted something a little more specific and way more touching. 

If you had any doubts about the relationships between Watson, Grint, and Daniel Radcliffe before the special, watching their emotional reunion should have been more than enough to squash them. In one memorable moment (via Us Weekly), Watson is actually moved to tears as Grint calls them "family" and reflects on how they grew up together. "It's a strong bond, we'll always be part of each other's lives," Grint said, telling Watson, "I love you," as they hugged, and jokingly added, "As friends." 

It seems that even Emma Watson herself was pleasantly surprised by Rupert Grint's kind words during the reunion, and she praised his willingness to open up in an interview with Vogue. Telling the interviewer that her talk with Grint was the "most emotional moment" of the special for her, Watson said, "When Rupert says things, he really means them." She added, "I was taken aback by how vulnerable and kind he was deciding to be so publicly."

Watson also said in the interview that while the trio don't have a group chat because, "They both hate WhatsApp and their phones in general," they do speak individually. "Rupert sends me pictures of [his daughter] Wednesday and I die," she said.

Grint has actually made similar statements about the bond between the three former Harry Potter stars, so maybe Watson shouldn't have been that surprised. In a March, 2021 interview with Esquire, he said that even though they may not get to see each other that often, they will always share this. "It was a very unique experience that we all went through," he said. "And no one really understands it and can relate to it but us. Almost kind of like astronauts. Kind of a weird experiment, I think."