Los Angeles: English actress Emma Watson has stepped back from acting and revealed one aspect of the film industry she does not miss: promoting and “selling” her films.

The 35-year-old star, best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the 'Harry Potter' franchise, has taken a sabbatical to pursue a doctorate at the University of Oxford. Speaking to 'Hollywood Authentic', Watson said while she enjoys performing on camera, she finds the promotional side of filmmaking “soul-destroying.”

“In some ways, I really won the lottery (with acting), and what happened to me is so unusual. But a bigger component than the actual Job Itself is the promotion and selling of that place of work, this place of art. The balance of that can get quite thrown off.”

Watson added that she misses using her skill set and the creative process of acting. “I think I'll be honest and straightforward, and say: I do not miss selling things. I found that to be quite soul-destroying. But I do very much miss using my skill set, and I very much miss the art. I just found I got to do so little of the bit that I actually enjoyed,” she said.

Watson began her acting career at age 11 with 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone' and has long valued the intensity of performing on camera. “The moment you get on a film set, you don't get very long for rehearsal. But the moment you get to talk through a scene, or I get to prepare and think about how I wanted to do something, and then the minute the camera rolls, and getting to just completely forget about everything else in the world other than that one moment, it's such an intense form of meditation. Because you just cannot be anywhere else,” she said.

However, the actress admitted she does not miss the pressure and the impact fame has had on her personal life. She said taking a step back has allowed her to build “good foundations” outside of her acting career.

IANS