Do you think fame makes people happy?

Would you give up money for peace of mind?

Today, Jay sits down with Emma Watson, actress, activist, and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, for a rare and deeply personal conversation. Beloved around the world as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, Emma has since become a powerful voice for gender equality and sustainability. In this exclusive interview, Emma reflects on her decision to step away from Hollywood and shares how time for study and self-discovery has allowed her to redefine success, find fulfillment, and reclaim her voice.

Emma shares the challenges of growing up in the public eye, carrying enormous responsibility from such a young age, and the courage it took to step back from a thriving career to prioritize her health and personal growth. She reflects on how fame blurred the lines between who she was and the roles she played, and how learning to embrace vulnerability, discomfort, and imperfection has become central to her growth.

Together, Jay and Emma explore the power of speaking truth with kindness, the importance of creating art from personal experience, and why building authentic relationships rooted in honesty and care matters more than any external achievement.

In this interview, you'll learn:

How to Be Honest With Yourself

How to Learn From Discomfort

How to Embrace Failure as a Starting Point

How to Separate Who You Are From What You Do

How to Build Truly Supportive Friendships 

How to Step Away While Staying True to Yourself

How to Speak Truth With Kindness

How to Live Aligned With Your Values

Every day is a chance to pause, return to what matters most, and take even the smallest step toward living with honesty and purpose. You’re allowed to evolve, to begin again, and to create a life that feels whole and meaningful, one choice, one conversation, one truth at a time.

With Love and Gratitude,

Jay Shetty

Join over 750,000 people to receive my most transformative wisdom directly in your inbox every single week with my free newsletter. Subscribe here. 

Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast 

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro

02:35 Choosing to Show Up for Yourself

05:50 Designing a Life You Truly Enjoy

09:09 Admitting When Life is Challenging

11:06 Rediscovering the Joy of Learning

17:27 Why Discomfort Can Be Your Greatest Teacher

21:13 Taking Accountability With Grace and Courage

23:10 Sensitivity as Your Superpower 

26:16 Lessons From a Nontraditional Childhood

30:38 Do You Still Need the Spotlight?

34:16 The Healing Power of Taking a Pause

41:38 Living Under Intense Public Pressure

44:55 Living Between Two Worlds

49:15 How Did You Become Hermione?

54:03 Separating Self From the Role You Play

57:54 The Hidden Cost of Never Slowing Down

01:07:40 Dating is Complicated For Everyone!

01:09:57 Revealing the Real You to Others

01:11:44 Emma’s One-Woman Play

01:20:08 What is Real Love?

01:26:27 Finding Love Beyond the Fantasy

01:32:35 Facing the Question: Why Are You Not Married Yet?

01:38:47 Trust Versus Telling the Truth

01:41:29 Choosing Partnership, Not Obligation

01:44:56 Asking Yourself the Hard Questions

01:48:25 How Fame Reshapes Everyday Life

01:51:44 What Did It Really Take to Step Away?

01:56:45 Learning to Trust Your Inner Voice

02:00:21 Loving Yourself Without Judgment

02:05:45 Finding Acceptance in Community

02:08:00 What Makes a Real Friend?

02:13:58 What Work Are You Avoiding?

02:32:20 Honoring the People Who Shape Us

02:44:01 Remembering Our Shared Humanity 

Episode Resources:

Emma Watson | Instagram

Emma Watson | Facebook

Do you think fame makes people happy?
Would you give up money for peace of mind?
Today, Jay sits down with Emma Watson, actress, activist, and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, for a rare and deeply personal conversation. Beloved around the world as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, Emma has since become a powerful voice for gender equality and sustainability. In this exclusive interview, Emma reflects on her decision to step away from Hollywood and shares how time for study and self-discovery has allowed her to redefine success, find fulfillment, and reclaim her voice.
Emma shares the challenges of growing up in the public eye, carrying enormous responsibility from such a young age, and the courage it took to step back from a thriving career to prioritize her health and personal growth. She reflects on how fame blurred the lines between who she was and the roles she played, and how learning to embrace vulnerability, discomfort, and imperfection has become central to her growth.
Together, Jay and Emma explore the power of speaking truth with kindness, the importance of creating art from personal experience, and why building authentic relationships rooted in honesty and care matters more than any external achievement.
In this interview, you'll learn:
How to Be Honest With Yourself
How to Learn From Discomfort
How to Embrace Failure as a Starting Point
How to Separate Who You Are From What You Do
How to Build Truly Supportive Friendships&nbsp;
How to Step Away While Staying True to Yourself
How to Speak Truth With Kindness
How to Live Aligned With Your Values
Every day is a chance to pause, return to what matters most, and take even the smallest step toward living with honesty and purpose. You&rsquo;re allowed to evolve, to begin again, and to create a life that feels whole and meaningful, one choice, one conversation, one truth at a time.
With Love and Gratitude,
Jay Shetty
Join over 750,000 people to receive my most transformative wisdom directly in your inbox every single week with my free newsletter. Subscribe <a href="https://news.jayshetty.me/subscribe">here</a>.&nbsp;
Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! <a href="https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast">https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast</a>&nbsp;
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro
02:35 Choosing to Show Up for Yourself
05:50 Designing a Life You Truly Enjoy
09:09 Admitting When Life is Challenging
11:06 Rediscovering the Joy of Learning
17:27 Why Discomfort Can Be Your Greatest Teacher
21:13 Taking Accountability With Grace and Courage
23:10 Sensitivity as Your Superpower&nbsp;
26:16 Lessons From a Nontraditional Childhood
30:38 Do You Still Need the Spotlight?
34:16 The Healing Power of Taking a Pause
41:38 Living Under Intense Public Pressure
44:55 Living Between Two Worlds
49:15 How Did You Become Hermione?
54:03 Separating Self From the Role You Play
57:54 The Hidden Cost of Never Slowing Down
01:07:40 Dating is Complicated For Everyone!
01:09:57 Revealing the Real You to Others
01:11:44 Emma&rsquo;s One-Woman Play
01:20:08 What is Real Love?
01:26:27 Finding Love Beyond the Fantasy
01:32:35 Facing the Question: Why Are You Not Married Yet?
01:38:47 Trust Versus Telling the Truth
01:41:29 Choosing Partnership, Not Obligation
01:44:56 Asking Yourself the Hard Questions
01:48:25 How Fame Reshapes Everyday Life
01:51:44 What Did It Really Take to Step Away?
01:56:45 Learning to Trust Your Inner Voice
02:00:21 Loving Yourself Without Judgment
02:05:45 Finding Acceptance in Community
02:08:00 What Makes a Real Friend?
02:13:58 What Work Are You Avoiding?
02:32:20 Honoring the People Who Shape Us
02:44:01 Remembering Our Shared Humanity&nbsp;
Episode Resources:
Emma Watson | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/emmawatson">Instagram</a>
Emma Watson | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/emmawatson/">Facebook</a>

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace.

I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace.
I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

My name is Jay Shetty, and my purpose is to make wisdom go viral. I’m fortunate to have fascinating conversations with the most insightful people in the world, and on my podcast, I’m sharing those conversations with you. New episodes Mondays and Fridays. Please rate and review the podcast if you enjoy it. Live life today ON PURPOSE.

My name is Jay Shetty, and my purpose is to make wisdom go viral. I’m fortunate to have fascinating conversations with the most insightful people in the world, and on my podcast, I’m sharing those conversations with you. New episodes Mondays and Fridays. Please rate and review the podcast if you enjoy it. Live life today ON PURPOSE.

EMMA WATSON EXCLUSIVE: The Story She Has Not Shared Until Now

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/33afce4b-c79e-49fb-8af5-b362007d82ec/transcript

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