Emma Watson: I'll return to Brown next year

[July 19, 2011]  PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- "Harry Potter" star Emma Watson says she plans to return to Brown University to complete her degree.

The British actress who plays Hermione (hur-MY'-nee) Granger in the "Harry Potter" series tells The Virginian-Pilot that she remains enrolled at Brown even though she'll study at England's Oxford University in the fall.

She said she intends to return to Providence in 2012 to complete her studies at the Ivy League school.

The 21-year-old Watson left Brown earlier this year, saying she wanted to devote her time to the final "Harry Potter" film and other acting opportunities.

The final chapter in the series premiered last week, setting box office records. It took in an estimated $168.6 million domestically from Friday to Sunday. That beats the previous best opening weekend of $158.4 million for 2008's Batman blockbuster "The Dark Knight."

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.