Emma Watson as Nicki Moore in Sofia Coppola's, "The Bling Ring" (screencap taken by me)
Emma Watson's career in Hollywood has been one that every aspiring young actress dreams of. Discovered at the age of 9, she was cast in the explosively popular and successful Harry Potter series as best friend Hermione Granger. However, things proved a bit of a rough start after the end of her work in the Potter films. Though Watson's acting was solid throughout the series, people wondered: Where would these kids end up after the series closed out? Leading man Daniel Radcliffe seemed to have the best chances out of the three young actors, and people just expected Emma Watson to become like so many leading ladies of huge franchises before her (Carrie Fisher from Star Wars comes to mind): pop out a few supporting roles in high profile films, and then fade into obscurity.
2011's My Week With Marilyn was nothing more than an Oscar vehicle for acclaimed actress Michelle Williams who starred as the iconic Marilyn Monroe. Watson made a "blink and you'll miss it" cameo appearance as a stage hand named Lucy. Reviews for the film were middling, most of them acclaiming Michelle Williams' interestingly charming performance as Marilyn Monroe, and Watson was seen as "just being there"; her critics suggested she was passive, and suggested having no stage presence, in addition to wooden delivery of throwaway dialogue. Her character in the film was simply a plot conveinence for the main character. But who could blame her for not bringing her A-Game? This was her first post-Hermione role, and she was acting in the same movie as veterans such as Judi Dench and Kenneth Branagh.
However, Emma proved her naysayers wrong, following up with a one two punch of 2012's charming indie Perks of Being A Wallflower, an adaptation of the acclaimed novel of the same name. Watson played the lead female role of Sam, and won a lot of praise, in addition to a lot of unexpected critic's awards wins (including a nomination from the prestigious Boston Society of Film Critics). It was then reported that she had taken a coveted role in Oscar nominated director Darren Aronofsky's upcoming adaption of the bible story of Noah's Arc, and the lead role in Guillermo Del Torro's adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. It seemed as if she had used her goodwill from her Potter days to translate into serious roles in auteur features, an opportunity many young actresses would kill for.
But perhaps the best post-Potter role of Watson's career thus far, was her role in this summer's The Bling Ring, directed by Sofia Coppola. The film is based on the real life actions of a group of starstruck teenagers, who robbed the homes of Hollywood stars such as Paris Hilton, Audrina Patridge, Rachel Bilson, and Megan Fox. The teens were eventually caught, tried, and thrown in jail. Coppola took a Vanity Article written about the case, and adapted it into a screenplay. She cast Watson in the role of Nicki Moore (based on real life Bling Ring member Alexis Neiers, star of the short lived E! reality show Pretty Wild). Much of the marketing focused on Watson's character, (namely because of her being the most recognizable person in a cast full of newcomers) who was unlike anything she had ever played before: Vapid, scheming, promiscuous; an all around awful girl.
Critics have singled her out as the best thing about the film, even those who weren't fans of the film as a whole. Richard Roeper, in his review, called her performance "comedic gold", Rolling Stone raved she was "sensational"; many of these critics have gone on to say she's a frontrunner for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
However, as we all know, critics do not run the Academy (in some cases, they really should). 2010's epic showdown between The Social Network (the critic's darling) and eventual winner The King's Speech proved just that. However, they have been known to champion performances that would otherwise be overlooked without this additional support. It's my hope, that the critics push Watson into the race, because what she does in the film is really quite special.
As Nicki, Watson completely sheds her good girl image. No, she does not get naked as many young starlets looking to transition into mature roles that preceded her have done (though she trades in the Hogwarts school uniform for tight dresses, Juicy sweatsuits, and Ugg boots). She dives headfirst into the psyche of a girl so obsessed with the spotlight, she would do just about anything to stay in the public eye. The first half of the film introduces us to Nicki the party girl, the Nicki we've seen in the trailers for the film. But in the second half, Watson shows us there's another layer to a Nicki we've not been introduced to yet; she shows us that while she may be daft and a bit of a valley girl, that doesn't mean she's a total airhead, she's actually quite scheming, and brilliant, and there's more to this girl than her surface suggests.
All of this is conveyed in the way Watson's Nicki speaks, holds her posture, and even the way she looks at people when she's faced in different situations; she's a chameleon. In the comfort of Paris Hilton's house, Nicki does pole dances, snorts cocaine, and steals dress after dress. But as soon as the cameras are rolling, Watson begins playing the character within the character: the Nicki Moore the public will be meeting."I want to lead a country someday for all I know... I want to lead a charitable organization like Angelina Jolie" she says, flipping her straightened hear, her voice swelling with pride. Nicki also prides herself on "taking business", and "building homes for the homeless with her church" though we very well know Nicki does not go to school or church. But it's truly amazing how Watson can flick a switch, and become a whole new (believable) character within a second, adding a level of seriousness to hilarious lines like "Totally.... your butt looks awesome!". It's a multilayered, inspired work that deserves recognition.
Oftentimes, subtle and hilarious work like this gets overlooked for more flashy performances (think Amy Adams vs Melissa Leo, both in The Fighter, the flashier performance won). However, the Academy has surprised us all before with unexpected nominations, and this category above all else has recognized comedic parts in the past (Marisa Tomei for My Cousin Vinney). But even if this brilliant turn goes unrewarded, it's still a milestone in Emma Watson's career, and will be one that critics come back to when documenting her rise from Harry Potter-player to solid leading lady. She has proved that her Hermione was no fluke, and she's here to stay; there's an exciting and promising career ahead of her, for sure. Though, how awesome would it be to see Hermione Granger receive an Oscar nomination, am I right?
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