Emma Watson Wants Boys To Start Idolizing Female Superheroes Too
Emma Watson believes it’s about time for boys to start admiring female heroes. The British actress thinks that while ladies find no problem in calling heroes like Han Solo and Spider-Man their favorites, the same cannot be said about guys.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, she said that men find it difficult to relate to lead characters who are women because of the culture in which men are expected to be tough.
“If I asked a young boy what superhero they looked up to, I feel a lot fewer would say a female one or would ever use an example of a female one, than in reverse, which is a shame because I feel like we need to live in a culture that values and respects and looks up to and idolizes women as much as men.”
The United Nations HeForShe campaign ambassador used her famous Harry Potter character, Hermione Granger, as an example of an inspiring female character.
“Hermione was that perfect example of turning on its head this initial prejudice. Hermione finds a way to wield her intelligence and become really the leader in this group of two other boys. That’s kind of the role that she assumes. Harry is much more intuitive. Ron is just along for the ride. Hermione is the one with the plan. She’s in control, and I think somehow that gave other women permission to feel that they were allowed to take up space.”
The Beauty and the Beast actress certainly has interesting insights about the society. Another topic which she has a strong opinion about is the use of social media. Even if she’s been under the spotlight since she was 11 years old, she refuses to share personal details about her life on Facebook or Instagram.
She told EW that when it comes to social media, “equal parts are depressing and terrifying and equal parts are empowering and thrilling.” Watson aspires to “draw a super conscious line” between her public and private life.
For her, sharing everything about her on social media and inviting people to give an opinion “would destroy her as a human.” The Perks of a Being Wallflower star notices that a lot of young people are “posturing instead of living” because what they’re after is to share something that will “get a certain number of likes, which is going to rank you in a certain way.”
A glimpse of her Facebook and Twitter accounts will prove her fascination for using her social media influence as a mean to promote projects she is passionate about. She has her online book club, Our Shared Shelf, where she recommends literary works.
Watson similarly launched a new Instagram account to display the eco-friendly fashion labels she has chosen to wear during the Beauty and the Beast promotional tour. Her first post features a Stella McCartney coat. The designer is known for not incorporating leather, feather, or fur in her creations.
Another example is a Louis Vuitton gown exclusively designed for the actress by Nicolas Ghesquiere. The gown was made from recycled polyester produced out of used plastic bottles. In 2015, while promoting her movie Regression, Watson also wore creations by fashion designers who only use ethical methods of production.
Beauty and the Beast is set to come out next month. Speaking to Elle UK, she finds similarities between Hermione and Belle. “For me, Beauty was the perfect, most joyful thing to do. There was something connected about Hermione and Belle, and it was good to be reminded that I am an actress; this is what I do. The film is pure escapism,” she gushed.
The Disney live-action remake is her first major film after a year of taking a break to focus on her advocacies.
[Featured Image by Anthony Harvey/Getty Images]
