Our generation has grown up watching Harry Potter on our screen and idolising Hermione as she shows us that girls can be just as magical and powerful as boys (throwback to the time punched she Draco). Soon Emma Watson will be debuting her new role as Belle in Disney’s remake of Beauty and the Beast, being released on 17th of March in the UK.
After her time on the Harry Potter set, Emma Watson managed to raise the bar even higher by going on to get a degree in English Literature at the prestigious Brown University, and then becoming an ambassador for the UN, focusing on women’s rights and the launch of the infamous He for She campaign that calls for men to advocate for equality. When being caught up in a recent controversy surrounding her photo in March’s edition of Vanity Fair, where her breast were partly on show, Watson responded to the backlash bluntly and to the point as she expressed “i really don’t see what my tits have to do with” when the discussing the “hypocrisy” of her feminism. Additionally, she also said feminism “is not a stick to beat other women”. Following latest trends like “Real girls have curves” etc this is the kind of refreshing feminism we need; where individuals aren’t afraid to point out misconceptions.
We’ve had the privilege of constantly seeing Emma’s presence in the media and now young girls will also be able to experience her influence through her continuation of acting. This is exactly what girls need right now- a powerful individual willing to speak out on controversial topics and social issues. And as I’m sure all of us will be going to see the film as well, they are by the far the most impressionable following the release of this film. There is no doubt that Emma Watson’s pinnacle “moment” of her actor career will always be the decade in which she starred in the Harry Potter films but she should not be tied down by this role. The story of the Beauty and the Beast in itself sets out a brilliant example of how love should not be superficial, another message Emma is choosing to promote through her role as Belle. This shows how she is such a great women to be the idle of future generations as she tackles rounded issues in a tasteful way.
Emma Watson is exactly what children need, in a time of growing up with Donald Trump being the main topic of conversation and the Kardashians being the most celebrated females in the media. I’m sure I’ll not be the only one at the theatre tomorrow, there to witness Emma Watson handing over Hermione’s legacy to Belle.
