Emma Watson, best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the “Harry Potter” films, has been banned from driving in the United Kingdom for six months after being found guilty of speeding.
The 35-year-old actress was caught driving her Audi at 38 mph in a 30 mph zone in Oxford on the evening of July 31, 2024.
She did not attend the brief hearing at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court but was fined £1,044 (around $1,400) and had her driver’s license suspended.
According to reports from PA Media, Watson already had nine penalty points on her license before this recent offense.
The court added three more points, bringing the total to 12, which triggered an automatic six-month driving disqualification under UK law.
In a separate but coincidental case, Watson’s former “Harry Potter” co-star, Zoë Wanamaker, also faced sentencing for a speeding violation.
Wanamaker, who appeared in the first film of the franchise as Quidditch instructor Madam Hooch, was caught driving at 46 mph in a 40 mph zone in Berkshire in August last year.
She received the same penalty — a £1,044 fine and a six-month driving ban.
Wanamaker, like Watson, had already accumulated nine points on her license prior to the new violation.
The additional points led to her automatic suspension as well. District Judge Arvind Sharma handled both cases and confirmed the point endorsements during the hearings.
A spokesperson for Zoë Wanamaker declined to comment, and CNN reported it had reached out to Emma Watson’s team for a response.
These cases create an unusual link between the two actresses, who once shared the screen in the iconic wizarding world and now face similar legal consequences off-screen.
Since her time in the “Harry Potter” films, Watson has taken on high-profile roles in films such as “Beauty and the Beast” and “Little Women,” while also focusing on academic work and activism, particularly in gender equality.
Despite her wide-ranging commitments, the driving ban now limits her mobility in the UK for the next half-year.