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Emma Watson has maintained a relatively quiet love life, although she has been linked to fellow actors, entrepreneurs and businessmen, and is currently openly single. In her first podcast interview on Sept. 24, Watson said that in some of her past relationships, she didn’t have a “clear enough idea of my purpose.”
Although Emma Watson has grown up in the public eye, she has managed to keep her love life private. The Harry Potter star, who became famous before she was a teenager, has spent much of her adult life balancing fame and normal life. Although she had romantic relationships with actors, entrepreneurs, and businessmen, Watson rarely acknowledged or commented on her relationships.
One of the few times she addressed the romance rumors was in October 2022 when she wrote the foreword for her Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton’s memoir, Beyond the Wand. According to People magazine, she claimed that although they had never dated, they were “soulmates” with a deep friendship.
On the Sept. 24 episode of Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, Watson shared her thoughts on dating. She said the pressure to marry was “very violent” and “very cruel”, especially to young people and women.
She added that it took her a while to figure out how to show up in a romantic relationship. “The truth is, if I had tried to get married about a year ago, it would have been a bloodbath. I just didn’t know myself well enough yet,” she explained. “I didn’t have a very clear idea of my purpose or my vision, like how I would help. I didn’t even know where I felt I really needed to be. I think I have some of those answers now.”
Watson is publicly single and said on a podcast that she hasn’t found a partner yet. “I think it’s a good thing, at least, that dating is basically a complete disaster for everyone and you have the freedom to do it. So I feel like I’m in good company in that sense,” she joked about the search.
The actress has previously spoken about the tension between public interest in celebrities’ love lives and maintaining privacy. “I realized that in Hollywood, who you date becomes part of the promotion of the movie, part of the performance, part of the circus,” she told Vanity Fair in 2017. “I don’t like it when the people I’m with feel like they’re part of the show or the act in any way.” Two years later, she famously described herself as a “self-partner” in an interview with British Vogue.
Let’s take a closer look at Watson’s dating history in the coming days.
francis boul
According to People magazine, Watson briefly dated Made in Chelsea star and Diamond heir Frances Boulle. The Sun reported that she was photographed dancing at a Cartier polo party in 2008. Boulle later told the outlet that she ended things because she wanted to make a name for herself outside of her fame. He added: “I actually really like Emma. She’s a really cool person.”
Jay Barrymore
According to the Daily Mail, the actress dated British investor Jay Barrymore for about two years from 2008 to 2010. (JustJared even posted a photo of the two.) Their relationship began at the same time that Watson began studying at Brown University in the US, with Barrymore visiting her on campus, but the long distance reportedly took a toll on them eventually and led to their breakup.
Johnny Simmons
In August 2011, there were rumors that Watson and Johnny Simmons, who co-starred in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, were dating. The two were also seen kissing in a photo shared by the Daily Mail. According to People magazine, the two were also spotted hiking and having lunch together in Santa Monica, California. It’s unclear when their relationship ended, but Watson appears to have moved on the following year.
Will Adamowitz
Watson’s relationship with Oxford University student Will Adamowicz first surfaced after photos from the 2012 Coachella festival surfaced. “I didn’t think anyone would be able to take my picture because it was such a big crowd, but somehow they found me,” Watson told Glamor magazine that year. People magazine confirmed that the two broke up in 2014.
matt janney
Watson met Oxford rugby player Matt Janney after a match in late 2013. The two dated for about a year, then broke up in December 2014. The news reported. Watson revealed to British Vogue the following year that she decided to take a week’s silent retreat following the breakup. “I really wanted to find a way to feel at home with myself,” she said.
William “Mac” Knight
According to Us Weekly, the actress dated Silicon Valley technology entrepreneur William “Mac” Knight from 2015 to 2017, and kept their relationship under the radar. Although the two were still dating, Watson declined to comment on their romance in an interview with Vanity Fair. “I want to be consistent. I can’t talk about my boyfriend in interviews and expect paparazzi not to take pictures of me walking outside my house. I can’t have it both ways,” she said.
code overstreet
Watson briefly dated Glee alum Chord Overstreet after they met through mutual friends in early 2018, People confirmed. In March of that year, they were spotted holding hands in Los Angeles after Vanity Fair’s Oscar party, but they stopped seeing each other within a few months. “It was never a long-term thing,” a source told People in May 2018.
brendan wallace
Watson was photographed kissing venture capitalist Brendan Wallace during a trip to Mexico in October 2018. Their relationship was not publicly acknowledged, with Watson telling British Vogue at one point in 2019 that she was “self-partnered”.
Leo Robinton
Watson’s relationship with businessman Leo Robinton was one of her longer and more serious relationships. According to People magazine, the pair were first spotted kissing in London in 2019, and went out several times the following year. The outlet also reported that Robinton deleted her social media presence after a photo of them kissing was leaked online.
In 2021, Watson addressed speculation about their engagement. “Dear fans, rumors about whether I’m engaged or whether my career is ‘dormant’ are a way to generate clicks each time they are revealed to be true or false,” she wrote on X, adding in a subsequent post, “I promise to share any news.”
brandon green
According to People magazine, Watson began dating Brandon Green, the son of retail tycoon Sir Philip Green, in September 2021. The two were photographed in London and Venice from 2021 to 2022, and were even spotted holding hands during their travels. The relationship reportedly ended by early 2023, but the exact date is unknown.
Kieran Brown
Watson was linked to Oxford University classmate Kieran Brown after they were spotted kissing in a photo shared by Us Weekly on July 1, 2024. A few days later, the pair were caught on a date at Gale’s Bakery near the school, the Daily Mail reported. “They were chatting together in the queue and seemed to be in a good mood,” a source told a UK-based media outlet. However, that romance appears to be over after Watson hinted in a September 2025 interview with Jay Shetty that she was single and trying to date.
