Emma Watson: He's the one

She has complained that men find her intimidating.

But now it seems Emma Watson has bewitched her latest co-star after they were spotted embracing in Los Angeles.

Watson, 21, looked besotted as she tenderly kissed Johnny Simmons, 24, who stars with her in the forthcoming £30 million (Dh180.42 million) drama The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

The couple have been spotted together before, but previously it was denied they were in a relationship.

Yet there could be no doubt that they are deeply involved as they were locked in a lingering clinch outside a restaurant in Santa Monica.

Watson has fought hard to shake off her prim schoolgirl image after playing Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films.

And her new American boyfriend should suit her purposes well — he has a slightly risque past and even had the odd run-in with the police. His film career includes playing a drug addict and sexually explicit scenes.

An onlooker said: "They were all over each other, kissing and hugging. It was very sweet to see. She looked utterly besotted. A girl recognised her and approached her. Emma was polite and acknowledged her, but she just wanted to be with Johnny and was clearly under his spell. They're obviously head-over-heels in love."

Simmons has spent the night with Watson at the upmarket house in Santa Monica where she has been staying with friends. A source said: "The moment Johnny turned up, Emma was all over him. He stayed overnight at least one night this week. It is clearly a serious relationship. They might have denied it before but they don't seem to be trying to hide it now."

Another friend said: "Emma loves how down-to-earth and normal Johnny is. He's very charming and sweet."

Watson and Simmons were seen together in a park in June, but at the time her publicist strongly denied they were an item. That month at the MTV Movie Awards after-party Simmons was spotted pinching Watson's bottom.

Simmons has a past in the tradition of Southern good ol' boys. He was arrested aged 19 in May 2006 for going at 80mph (128.75 kilometres per hour) in a 65mph zone. Two days later he was arrested again for being in possession of alcohol below the legal age of 21 and was fined £350.

The 2009 film Jennifer's Body featured him and Amanda Seyfried in a sex scene which he told his parents not to watch because he was so embarrassed.

He was lauded by critics for playing a drug addict in The Greatest, also starring Pierce Brosnan.

Watson and Simmons met on the set of The Perks of Being A Wallflower in May.

Due for release next year, the movie is adapted from a controversial novel that couldn't be further removed from Harry Potter, featuring drugs, sex and suicide.