"Obviously there's sadness - there were a few tears on the last day - but there's also a great sense of relief because playing Hermione has been such a big responsibility," she admits. "Now it's over, it feels like a massive weight has been lifted off me! It's such a relief that I can just be myself - be Emma - again."

'That's why I cut my hair," she reveals. "I'd spend more than half my life being somebody else - with their hairstyle - and I wanted to be Emma and have my hair the way I wanted it. I didn't realise it, at the time, but it was actually incredibly symbolic having all this hair cut off that people so identified with Hermione. It felt great - it was very liberating - like I was shedding that old skin and starting a fresh, new chapter!"

"You know, I'm only 20, so I have no idea what I want [to do] with the rest of my life, or even what I will be doing in say ten years' time. I do have my dreams - a vision of what I'd like my life to look like - but who knows if that will happen.

"It's funny, because a lot of my friends are now gearing up to get a job and really push on with their career but I'm at a point now where I need to just stop, have a break, and take it easy for a bit. I'm very excited by that, and the prospect of just having some normality in my life.

"The problem though is that I'm a workaholic," adds Emma, laughing. "I'm hugely motivated and determined, so you've not seen the end of me, just yet! I'm always going to work hard and always want to act. But I'm also going to try and make sure that I have a bit of fun as well!"