Emma Watson Banned from Driving Alongside Harry Potter Co-Star in UK Court Ruling
Emma Watson has found herself off the road after being hit with a six-month driving ban—alongside fellow Harry Potter actress Zoe Wanamaker—in separate speeding offences handled at the same UK court.
The Harry Potter icon, widely recognised for her role as Hermione Granger, was caught speeding through Oxford’s streets last July. She clocked 38mph in a 30mph zone while driving her blue Audi on the evening of July 31, 2024.
Watson, 35, who has returned to academia as a student at the University of Oxford, did not appear in person at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court. Representing her, solicitor Mark Haslam told the bench: “She is in a position to pay the fine.”
She received a fine totalling £1,044 and an additional three penalty points, tipping her over the limit—resulting in a mandatory six-month driving disqualification.
In an unrelated case heard in the same courtroom, Zoe Wanamaker, 76, was also handed a driving ban. The veteran actress, known for playing Madam Hooch in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was caught exceeding the limit on the M4 in Newbury, Berkshire. Driving at 46mph in a 40mph zone on August 7, 2024, she too was fined £1,044 and banned from the roads for six months.
Wanamaker’s legal representative, Duncan Jones, stated in court: “She was not asking for special treatment” and acknowledged her acceptance of the fine without dispute.
Both Watson and Wanamaker already held nine points on their licences prior to these latest infractions. District Judge Arvind Sharma added three more points to each of their records, enforcing the automatic disqualification.
Neither actress appeared in person for the hearings, which were brief.
Adding to the drama, The Sun previously reported that Watson was spotted negotiating with tow-truck operators in Stratford-upon-Avon after her Audi was loaded onto a flatbed in February 2024—months before the court date.
This incident adds a surprising twist to the usually composed public image of both actresses. For fans, it’s a rare glimpse into the less-glamorous side of celebrity life.
Both stars now face six months away from the wheel—proof that not even magic can bend UK traffic laws.
