Young, beautiful, talented and a multi-millionairess who need never work again Emma Watson seemingly has it all.
But in a self-pitying interview, the Harry Potter star claims it is so tough being her that she sometimes struggles to get out of bed. Fresh from a year off, the 26 year old actress suggests her work as a self-appointed feminist is exhausting, while the resulting criticism thrown her way has toughened her up.
A post shared by Emma Watson (@emmawatson) on Sep 29, 2016 at 11:34am PDT
She said: ‘There is a level of criticism that comes with being an actress and a public figure, which I expect, but once you take a stance on something like feminism, that’s a completely different ball game. There were a couple of days when I just didn’t want to come out from under the duvet.
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‘At first, I wasn’t sure if I should allow myself to be upset by it, but then I realized I needed to give myself 24 hours to sulk, and then move forward. I got a lot of support from other feminist voices, too. ‘Laura Bates of the Everyday Sexism project sent me a care package with sequins and glitter, notes of encouragement and chocolate, which more or less said, “Don’t let the bastards grind you down”. I had to remind myself that the criticism wasn’t personal and it was par for the course.’
A post shared by Emma Watson (@emmawatson) on Sep 29, 2016 at 7:32am PDT
In the interview with Elle magazine, Miss Watson discusses her recent sabbatical during which she studied feminist literature and spoke out for HeforShe, a solidarity campaign for the advancement of women initiated by UN Women. In so doing the young star, who played Hermione Granger in the JK Rowling franchise, has emerged as one of the most vocal actresses-turned-activists for women’s rights.
Her UN Women speeches regularly went viral, but also attracted as much criticism as they did praise. Critics were quick to dismiss her as a white, privileged feminist, whose HeforShe program was trying to make men the saviours of oppressed women. Miss Watson – reportedly worth £57million – believes her work in gender politics has, at least, earned her ‘respect’. Happily, she claims the criticism ‘really toughened me up’.
A post shared by Emma Watson (@emmawatson) on Nov 9, 2016 at 2:13pm PST
In the same interview, she added: ‘It’s difficult to hear criticism from people you consider your peers and who you believe are on the same side. It can be a lot of pressure sometimes, as people expect me to know so much. ‘I’m no expert, and when people push me into a corner of “here’s Emma Watson to lecture you on feminism”, it’s uncomfortable because I am aware I have a long way to go. I am not sure I deserve all the respect I get yet, but I’m working on it.
'These days I’m not sure I care too much what people think; it’s more I don’t live up to my own expectations. This is exhausting. I certainly feel that, after this year off, I care much less about offending people or trying to make everyone around me comfortable all the time. You know, sometimes you have to do what you have to do, and you will live.’
A post shared by Emma Watson (@emmawatson) on Oct 31, 2016 at 7:55am PDT
Miss Watson’s comments come three days after she was named Woman of the Year by Elle at an awards ceremony in London. According to reports, she turned up 90 minutes late and was accused of ‘diva behaviour’ after refusing to walk the red carpet alongside a host of stars.
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The actress, whose latest film, Beauty And The Beast, opens next month, may surprise a few people with her remarks. She is, after all, one of the most successful actresses of her generation who divides her time between Los Angeles and London.
A post shared by Emma Watson (@emmawatson) on Nov 11, 2016 at 1:14pm PST
Born in Paris but brought up in Oxfordshire, Miss Watson attended stage school before landing the role of Hermione and winning a legion of fans across the globe. She went on to star in several critically acclaimed films. Between 2011 and 2014 she split her time between film and education, studying at Brown University in the US before transferring to Worcester College, Oxford.