“Harry Potter” star Emma Watson hit Cannes on Thursday night with a thunderclap. She’s the star of Sofia Coppola’s ensemble piece “The Bling Ring,” which is about L.A. suburban teens who in real life broke into the homes of several celebrities and stole over $3 million worth of merchandise in 2009. This is not the Hermione of Hogwarts although her character Nicole could use a Quidditch stick to fly away from the police when they come to her house with search warrants. Last night after the red carpet premiere, W magazine’s Stefano Tonchi and Lynn Hirshberg threw Coppola, Watson, and company a splashy soiree on the rooftop of the JW Marriott Hotel on the Croisette. And Emma was the toast of the party. When Showbiz411.com mentioned that her performance recalled Nicole Kidman’s comic breakthrough in “To Die For” back in 1994, she gasped, “That’s what I was going for! I love her in that movie. I’m so glad someone noticed!” Watson is 23 and not quite finished with her studies at Brown University, but she’s getting closer to graduation after taking a little time off. What we learned: Watson, who is stunning, is still getting used to being called “beautiful.” “You should see what she goes through to get ready for one of these red carpet things,” shared one of her friends at the bash.
