艾玛•沃特森携新片亮相戛纳红毯

    British actress Emma Watson has turned to crime in her latest role as part of a celebrity-obsessed teenage gang. They rob their Hollywood idols’ homes in the film that made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival on May 16.

    “The Bling Ring,” written and directed by Sofia Coppola, is based on a real-life gang who tracked their targets’ whereabouts online and stole US$3 million of luxury goods from celebrities including Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.

    Watson, 23, proved her days as Hermione in “Harry Potter” are long gone as she dressed in skimpy outfits and perfected a Los Angeles accent to play a fictitious version of one of the Bling Ring gang, members of which were caught in 2009 and sent to jail.

    She said her main challenge was to work out why these teenagers, from mainly wealthy backgrounds, were so preoccupied with celebrities. Her research involved watching reality TV shows like “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and “The Hills.”

    “I enjoy the chance to transform into new roles and work with new creative people,” Watson said at a news conference on May 16.

    “Harry Potter seems like such a long time ago,” she said.

    Alongside Watson, Katie Chang plays Bling Ring leader Rebecca, while Israel Broussard is her submissive lieutenant with Taissa Farmiga and Claire Julien making up the gang.

    The film received favorable reviews after a press screening on the second day of the 12-day Cannes festival.

    This was a welcome reaction for Coppola, whose third film “Marie Antoinette” was booed in 2006 when it made its debut at Cannes.

    Coppola said “The Bling Ring,” which will open in the United States in June, was a comment on culture today — both the teenagers’ obsession with the celebrity life and the celebrities themselves with houses overflowing with expensive goods.

    (SD-Agencies)