There are plenty of young actors in Hollywood history – think of Culkin, Barrymore or Lohan – who couldn’t adjust to life as adult stars. Then there are stars like “Star Wars” lead actor Mark Hamill or “Lord of the Rings” star Elijah Wood, who never emerged from the shadow of the iconic role that made them famous.

Emma Watson is one of the rare actresses who has had to overcome both hurdles, having played Hermione Granger eight times in the Harry Potter series. And yet, four years after the series ended, she has proven herself not only to be a credible actress, but also a seemingly normal person. How did she do it?

(JK Rowling makes shocking confession about romance in Harry Potter)

1. She is selective about her projects
Watson has only appeared in five films since the last Deathly Hallows in 2011 – My Week With Marilyn, The Best of Both Worlds, The Bling Ring, a cameo in This Is the End and Noah. This in-demand actress doesn’t appear in every film to earn a little extra money, but rather chooses projects that appeal to her.

2. She recognizes the winner
However, when she signs on to a film, it generally receives great reviews. We noticed that all of her post-Potter projects have been “certified fresh” on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes—meaning at least 60 percent of the reviews for each project were positive.

3. She played against her type
The crucial part of her success was that she had to prove to critics that she could act outside of Hogwarts. She has played a number of characters that are nothing like Hermione Grainger – from the outgoing but emotionally damaged Sam in Perks to the superficial, image-obsessed Nicki in The Bling Ring. Like Daniel Radcliffe, she has become one of Hollywood’s most versatile young actresses.

Watch the trailer for “Maybe Tomorrow” below.

4. She has proven her comedic skills
Watson usually played the serious guy opposite Rupert Grint’s Joker in Potter – but since the series ended, she has proven herself to be a talented comedian. The highlight was of course her brutal but hilarious cameo in This Is the End, but her performance in Bling Ring was also hailed as “comedic gold” by critic Richard Roeper. She is also a witty guest on talk shows.

5. She has worked with interesting directors
Aside from Alfonso Cuaron, the Harry Potter series has been directed by solid craftsmen rather than visionary writers. Perhaps that’s why Watson has pushed her boundaries, working with directors who have been known to push boundaries since Potter, such as Sofia Coppola (“Bling Ring,” “Lost in Translation”), Darren Aronofsky (“Pi,” “Black Swan,” “Noah”) and bestselling author and later director of “Perhaps Tomorrow” Stephen Chobsky.

6. She did not criticize the films that made her famous
Watson once said, “I could be 100 years old and lying in a rocking chair, but I would still be very proud that I was part of the Harry Potter films.” Many child actors distance themselves from the films that made them famous (most recently Angus T. Jones of Two and a Half Men, who called the insanely popular sitcom “trash” before he was fired), but Watson still has the utmost respect for the fans who made her famous.

7. She has not become a child star cliché
Even Daniel Radcliffe, who seems surprisingly well-balanced given his fame, hasn’t been immune to the old child star cliche of going off the rails as an adult. He told GQ, “I became so dependent on (alcohol) to enjoy things.” Watson, on the other hand, has avoided the traps of fame too much, at least as far as we know. Maybe because…

8. …She took a break from acting
We think a lot of actors would benefit from spending less time in the Hollywood bubble and getting to know us mere mortals. Watson has done just that (relatively speaking, at least) by taking time off to study at Brown University and Oxford University. Dealing with civilians, even academically gifted ones, is a great way to put Hollywood and all its nonsense in perspective.

9. She seems to have a pretty normal private life
From the outside, Watson’s personal life seems remarkably conventional for a woman her age. She has dated a few guys she met at university (Will Adamowicz and currently Matthew Janney) while avoiding high-profile relationships with other movie stars that would make her a regular in the tabloid press. She has tried to keep her personal life private – no small feat for one of the most famous actresses in the world.

10. It has more to offer
With Watson graduating soon, fans hope she will devote more time to filmmaking in the coming years. Her upcoming project, Regression, continues Watson’s career plan of making films with top-notch directors – in this case Alejandro Amenabar, who directed the great The Others. Even more exciting for Watson could be the role of Belle in Guillermo del Toro’s highly anticipated live-action Beauty and the Beast, which is slowly getting into production.