The film star described her smooch with Rupert Grint as the ‘most horrible thing’ she has ever had to do
The Harry Potter franchise not only gives us a look into the ups and downs of the wizarding world, but it also teaches us a lot about love.
Love is shown to be the strongest magic of all, and it’s not just about romance. There are definitely some love stories that grow throughout the eight movies, like the one between Harry and Ginny Weasley.
However, fans really loved the romance between Ron and Hermione Granger, especially when they finally acted on their feelings in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
Even though viewers had been waiting a long time for this moment, it turns out that the actors didn’t really enjoy filming the big kiss.
The fact that they had to do it multiple times didn’t help, but what really bothered Emma Watson, 35, and Rupert Grint, 36, was that it felt a bit like ‘incest’ to them.
Daniel Radcliffe’s reaction to Ron and Hermione kiss
What happens during the kissing scene?
Alright, let me paint a picture for you all…the Battle of Hogwarts is happening in the last movie, and Ron and Hermione are on a super important mission.
They need to go into the Chamber of Secrets – the same place where Harry bravely fought the huge snake called the Basilisk – to destroy one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes: the Hufflepuff cup.
To make a long story short, they complete their task, and with all the chaos around them, feelings are really intense.
Ron then suggests they go warn the house-elves in the kitchen about the craziness going on, so they can get away safely.
It seems like this brave act really gets Hermione excited, because she finally kisses her long-time friend, and they share a sweet moment.
But just when things seem perfect, Harry, who has been watching everything, asks in a dry tone: “Is this really the moment?”
Watson and Grint’s characters finally act on their feelings in the final Harry Potter film (Warner Brothers)
What has Emma Watson said about the kissing scene?
Watson once talked about this scene in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 and called it the ‘most horrible thing’ she has ever done.
While on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in July 2009, the Little Women actress shared why kissing Grint was not so great for her.
She mentioned: “Not because Rupert isn’t a nice guy, and there are tons of girls who would probably give up their left arm to kiss him, but it just felt like incest. That’s the only way I can explain it. The cool thing about kissing is that you close your eyes, so it was okay when I was actually kissing him because I had my eyes shut.
“I couldn’t think about the fact that it was him. The worst part was when we had to open our eyes and look at each other because then it was just like, and then we couldn’t keep going.”
Watson also later shared that ‘everyone wanted to be on set’ to see them film their kiss, as the crew had ‘been waiting for it for 10 years’, just like the fans.
The actress also talked about what it was like to kiss Daniel Radcliffe, the main character of the film series, while also discussing her kiss with Grint during a press conference in 2011.
Watson said her ‘passionate’ kiss with Radcliffe was ‘pretty awkward’, especially since she was ‘half-naked and covered in silver paint’ at that moment.
The trio say they have a sibling-like relationship after growing up together (D Dipasupil/FilmMagic)
“Kissing Rupert was also kind of awkward,” she went on. “We had just gotten drenched by this huge bucket of water that was sort of hanging above us…we had to act like we didn’t know it was going to fall, but we totally did.
“That was also super awkward and weird, so both situations were just strange to be in.
“They were both real gentlemen and, um…it’s definitely tough to set aside our past, especially since we grew up together.”
Watson also made sure to explain her earlier comments about cuddling with Grint during an interview with Movies Ireland back in 2009.
She said that what she mentioned on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross had been ‘really badly misunderstood’ and made it clear that she thought her co-star was ‘very handsome’.
“It sounds like I’m saying it’s awful because it’s Rupert,” she explained. “Of course, he’s super good-looking, and there are tons of girls who would do anything to kiss him – it’s just that he feels like my brother.
“We were both in the same situation, and I’m sure he would say the exact same thing. It was really strange and very weird.”
What has Rupert Grint said about the kissing scene?
The co-stars both agree that their kiss felt ‘unnatural’ (HBO Max)
Watson really wasn’t joking when he said they were both on the same page about their much-awaited kiss, since Grint didn’t find it enjoyable either.
He talked about the experience in an interview with Attitude back in 2011, saying that even though he thought it would be super awkward, it turned out to be ‘fine’.
However, the Snatch star admitted that kissing Watson felt ‘unnatural’, considering how long they had known each other.
“The kissing scene… was actually fine,” Grint mentioned. “It felt like the most unnatural thing ever to kiss someone I’ve known since she was nine. It took some time to get into it and set our friendship aside.”
Talking about the kiss, he said: “It’s pretty intense, a real snog. We were also soaking wet – they poured tons of water on us and then we just went for it.
“We laughed a lot and it took us a bit to focus. We did it around four times.”
In the HBO reunion special, Return To Hogwarts – which aired ten years after the movie came out – Grint shared that he ‘kind of blacked out’ during the kiss.
“I don’t really remember it, I was super nervous,” he admitted. “It’s strange kissing someone you’ve known since you were nine.”
Remember how everyone on the crew wanted to watch it too? Well, Radcliffe did as well – he even apologized for being a bit of a ‘d**k’ about the whole situation in Return To Hogwarts.
He chuckled: “I did not help at all, because I’ve been told a lot that I was just being a total d**k about this and was like, ‘I’m gonna come on set and watch you guys kiss’. I’m really sorry about that, guys!”
Featured Image Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Elton John AIDS Foundation