Emma Watson 'overwhelmed' ahead of Harry Potter reunion

Emma Watson has admitted she felt “quite overwhelmed” ahead of reuniting with members of the original cast of Harry Potter.

But the actress, who plays bookworm Hermione Granger, said she had been “pleasantly surprised” while reliving moments from her years spent filming.

In a clip released by HBO Max, who produced the special, she said: “Some of us haven’t seen each other for years.

“It’s just been a joy, an unexpected joy. I really didn’t know how it would feel.”

She continues: “I felt quite overwhelmed this morning and I’ve just been quite pleasantly surprised by just getting to relive it all.

In an earlier clip she said: “It feels like no time has passed and loads of time has passed.”

The special, Return to Hogwarts, sees her reunited with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and a host of other famous faces on the 20th anniversary of the release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Members of the cast join American filmmaker Chris Columbus to discuss the beloved movies and explore their creation.

Since the films were released, the author of the books they are based on, JK Rowling, has become a controversial figure over her comments on gender identity.

She has attracted criticism for her views on transgender rights, including from stars Watson, Radcliffe and Grint.

Rowling, 56, has said she was partly motivated to speak out about transgender issues because of her experience of domestic abuse and sexual assault.

Actor Chris Rankin, who played Percy Weasley in the series, is the latest actor to address her comments, telling the Eastern Daily Press: “I do a lot of work with charities that are LGBTQ+-focused and I raise money for the Albert Kennedy Trust on a regular basis.

“A lot of my family are members of the community. It is a huge part of my life and I think, by saying that, you can probably guess where my allegiances lie in that respect.

“What is important to highlight is that, when a trans person says they are male or female, that is what they are and that is how we should treat them.

“It is damaging to them to say otherwise.”

The highly anticipated retrospective special will be released on Sky and streaming service Now on January 1, 2022.