Oops, The Harry Potter Reunion Mixed Up Emma Watson's Childhood Photo With Another Actress'

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts received rave reviews over the weekend, as fans of the franchise tuned in to laugh, cry, and catch up with the cast and crew about the beloved franchise (some of which have now become parents like Rupert Grint). The special is jam-packed with information, though apparently, not without its faults. One Twitter user exposed the star-studded new special when they noticed a childhood photo of Emma Watson was not actually Watson, but another famous Hollywood actress. 

There’s a moment in the Return to Hogwarts special where the non-retiring Emma Watson explained that her love of Harry Potter started from a very young age. Photos of Watson in her youth are then shown on screen, although Twitter user Mania revealed one of those pictures does not show the Hermione Granger actress. The picture, which allegedly featured a young Watson at a table wearing Minnie Mouse ears, is actually of a young Emma Roberts:

Now, some Harry Potter fans might be suspicious of a random Twitter user outing a professionally made special, but it checks out. The picture featured in the special was indeed posted to Emma Roberts’ Instagram account back in February of 2012 and can be seen below:

It seems silly to assume Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts intentionally included this photo, knowing it wasn’t Emma Watson, so what happened? We can only speculate, though it seems logical someone gathering pictures got some wires crossed and pulled a photo of Emma Roberts as a child as opposed to Watson. To be fair, some adults look much different than their childhood photos, though when compared to other photos of Watson as a child, it does seem clear that it's an entirely different kid. 

For now, there’s been no response or reaction from either of the actresses. One can’t help but wonder if the Wizarding World alum was watching and noticed the picture wasn’t of her, or even if Netflix's Holidate star watched and recognized herself. I’m still hung up on the fact that someone recognized a photo that was randomly posted back in 2012. But when it comes to the internet, it seems nothing is ever truly forgotten.

Photo error aside, fans have few complaints about HBO Max’s Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special. The special is loaded with interviews with the cast as they discuss their relationship with the storied franchise, as well as how their relationships evolved over the years. Stars like Tom Felton have been candid about the series before, but this takes things to a whole other level. It’s definitely a show that die-hard fans, who can likely quote each film, will appreciate and cherish as the franchise continues with new projects.

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts is currently streaming over on HBO Max. All eight films, along with the Fantastic Beast movies, are also available on the streamer.