Emily Watson explains that she grew up "in a kind of very strict religious sect"

BarcelonaEmily Watson (London, 1967) is an award-winning British actress, known for films such as Breaking the waves (1966) – with which she received an Oscar nomination–, Drunk with love (2002) and, more recently, by the series Chernobyl (2019) and the film Hamnet (2026). But this whole brilliant career almost didn't happen, as she herself explained during the Sarajevo Film Festival, where she received an honorary award. "I was born into a very beautiful family, but I grew up in a kind of very strict religious cult. I was a very devout person when I was young. I felt it very deeply. It was difficult for me to find my way because of that," the actress said during her speech.

Watson explained that he was part of the School of Economic Science, a London-based religious organization that promoted strict traditional values regarding gender roles and sexual ethics. According to his account, it was an environment where independence, especially for women, was actively discouraged in favor of more traditional roles such as wife, mother, or teacher. Watson found his way out of the group through acting. "The role of Breaking the waves it was as if they had caught me in mid-freefall," he stated. Nevertheless, his film debut was not well received by the organization at all.

Break with the group

In the film, Watson played a woman from a repressed religious community in Scotland and there was explicit sexual content. This clashed directly with the values of the organization she had grown up in and, ultimately, was the reason she was expelled from it. According to her statements to The Guardian, the group "strongly disapproved" of the film, which marked a turning point in her life. "It was a difficult time, but a decisive and very empowering moment. I was deeply heartbroken, but I also felt like my heart was overflowing with freedom," the actress has recounted.

Despite having grown up in a rigid and oppressive environment, Watson has clarified that not all her childhood memories are unhappy. "Some parts were very happy, others very strange. I think many artists have themes from their childhood that they need to overcome," she added. Over the years, the School of Economic Science has been accused of serious misconduct related to its affiliated schools, with reports indicating that the organization paid significant compensation to former students for allegations of abuse spanning decades. Watson herself has spoken openly about having witnessed disturbing behavior firsthand.