Emma Watson Handed Driving Ban After Speeding Offence

Emma Watson has been banned from driving for six months and fined £1,044 for speeding in Oxford, having already accumulated nine penalty points. Fellow Harry Potter actress Zoë Wanamaker received the same penalty for a separate speeding offence. Both cases were heard on the same day.

Emma Watson, the actress best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, has been disqualified from driving for six months after being caught speeding. Watson was recorded driving at 38 miles per hour in a 30mph zone in Oxford on the evening of 31 July last year. The court heard that she already had nine penalty points on her driving licence prior to this offence.

The 35-year-old, who is currently pursuing a master's degree in creative writing at the University of Oxford, was ordered to pay a total of £1,044 during a brief hearing at High Wycombe Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. She did not appear in person for the five-minute session. Representatives for Watson have been contacted for comment.

Watson first rose to prominence in 2001 with the release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, where she starred alongside fellow young actors Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint. She went on to appear in all eight instalments of the Harry Potter franchise, concluding in 2011. Following the series, Watson featured in films such as Beauty and the Beast, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and The Bling Ring.

Her most recent film appearance was in the 2019 remake of Little Women, directed by Greta Gerwig. In 2023, she also launched a sustainable gin brand in partnership with her brother.

Meanwhile, a new television adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series is currently in development. The show, being produced by HBO, will star Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. Other notable cast members include John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Hagrid, Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall, and Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape. The series is expected to span a decade in production.

On the same day and in the same court, another actress from the Harry Potter franchise, Zoë Wanamaker, was also fined and banned from driving. Wanamaker, known for her role as Madam Hooch, was caught speeding on 7 August 2024 on the M4 in Newbury, Berkshire, where she was recorded driving at 46mph in a 40mph zone.

The 76-year-old, who like Watson already had nine penalty points on her licence, received an identical penalty of a £1,044 fine and a six-month driving ban. Her lawyer, Duncan Jones, stated that she was not requesting any special treatment and fully accepted the court's decision. District Judge Arvind Sharma endorsed an additional three points on the licences of both actresses, which led to their automatic disqualification from driving for six months.