Emma Watson is known for many of her iconic movies from over the years, including Belle in the live-action Beauty and the Beast, and, of course, Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series. And we can’t forget about her role as Sam in the indie, coming-of-age drama The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Since its release, Sam has lived on through the hearts of many who saw the movie during their formative years. It seemingly has stuck with Watson as well, who recently revealed she still carries around a gift from the writer and creator of the movie.
The movie was adapted from a book by Stephen Chbosky, who also wrote and directed the film. Both the movie and book are full of literary references to classic novels, so giving Emma Watson one of these classics is very fitting. The Little Women star revealed that the author gave her a T.S. Eliot book of poems, with an absolutely touching inscription when she graduated college. She read Chbosky’s message during a Vogue interview, and it said:
For Emma on her graduation: These Words By T.S. Eliot are forever. So is your passion for learning, for living, for literature. I couldn’t be happier or prouder for you for this accomplishment. You inspire me every day. Please enjoy this limited edition for an unlimited life. You are my dear Sam, infinite. -Steve Chbosky
What an unbelievably sweet and profound message, and so perfectly fitting for the content of the movie that they made for each other. In the film, Logan Lerman’s Charlie writes down the happenings of his young adulthood in a series of letters, and he gives books as gifts. Also the quote “we were infinite” is one of the most memorable from the source material, and it has lived on in pop culture. Its utilization here is so special, and clearly means a lot to Watson if she still carries it with her.
The movie in question was released in 2012, and starred Lerman and Watson, along with Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd, and Nina Dobrev. It has immensely emotional and adult themes, while also being targeted towards young adults, which is why Perks of Being A Wallflower still ages great on the rewatch. While there are several differences between the Chbosky novel and the film, the movie is still very faithful, which likely can be accredited to the shared creative mind behind the projects. Watson plays a complicated character, and the actress’s own intellectualism shines through in Sam, making her perfect for the part.
The coming-of-age nature of the Chbosky/Watson collaboration makes the author the perfect person to give the Harry Potter alum something for such a coming-of-age moment. Graduating from college was a massive achievement for Watson, and it’s something her character really strives for during the film. I truly can’t think of anything more perfect. I’d love to see these two work together again someday, but in the meantime, Watson still has a piece from this wonderful past experience to take with her everywhere.
You can revisit Emma Watson’s touching performance in The Perks of Being a Wallflower with an Amazon Prime subscription. Fans of the actress can also check out our feature on what else to watch from The Bling Ring star.