Emma Watson chopped off her long locks to put herself in the running for the lead role in the Hollywood adaptation of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)", according to a U.K. report. The "Harry Potter" star stunned fans when she debuted a short pixie crop earlier this month, but her new hairdo is believed to be more than just a change of style.

The 20-year-old, who showed off her new cropped hairstyle last week, has auditioned for the part of Lisbeth Salander in the Hollywood adaptation of Stieg Larsson's novel, reports The Sun.

A source said, "Emma has auditioned with director David Fincher and cut her hair to look the part. The character of Lisbeth is a misfit goth-type girl with spiky hair." Watson showed off her new look on her website, telling fans: "Cut my hair off a few days ago... Feels incredible. I love it. I've wanted to do this for years and years; it's the most liberating thing ever."

Watson, who recently finished filming her final scenes as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series, has previously admitted that she is looking forward to trying new things.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is the first book in Larsson's Millennium Trilogy, and follows journalist Mikael Blomkvist's investigation into the 40-year-old disappearance of a teenage girl.

It was recently reported that Carey Mulligan was deemed "too clean-cut" to play Salander, while Kristen Stewart and Natalie Portman have also distanced themselves from rumours linking them to the part.

Daniel Craig has already been confirmed to play Blomkvist.

Source: Press Release