Emma Watson may have been cast as Belle in a remake of the Disney classic Beauty and the Beast this week, but there is far more to the actor than just her looks.
The gender-equality crusader, who was lauded for her rousing speech at the United Nations last year, is now earning praise for an online question-and-answer session during which she delivered advice on the importance of equal rights for men and women.
Watson, 24, took to Twitter last week in her capacity as a goodwill ambassador for UN Women, and specifically to promote the HeForShe campaign that seeks to make men allies in the fight for gender equality.
When a young woman asked her on Twitter what she could do to change her dad's view that engineering was a man's profession, Watson replied simply: "Become an engineer".
@TheWyfeOfBathe Why not have both? — Emma Watson (@EmWatson)
January 23, 2015
@archangel_grl
@UN_Women
@HeforShe Conviction. — Emma Watson (@EmWatson)
January 23, 2015
@kevlownds
@UN_Women
@HeforShe keep your eyes and ears open and speak up. — Emma Watson (@EmWatson)
January 23, 2015
@Triz84 be both!!! — Emma Watson (@EmWatson)
January 23, 2015
@Homegwarts become aware of it — Emma Watson (@EmWatson)
January 23, 2015
@duuhhnese Yes! Tell them how it is for you — Emma Watson (@EmWatson)
January 23, 2015
@lordvoldemot
@HeforShe Become an engineer. — Emma Watson (@EmWatson)
January 23, 2015
In her speech at the UN in September last year, Watson, who studied at Oxford and Brown universities, described "feminism" as an unpopular word.
"I decided that I was a feminist and this seemed uncomplicated to me," she said.
"Apparently I'm among the ranks of women whose expressions are seen as too strong, too aggressive, isolating and anti-men, unattractive even.
"Why has the word become such an uncomfortable one?"
Watson said that fighting for women's rights should not be seen as man-hating.
"This has to stop," she said.
"For the record, feminism by definition is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities."
Many praised that speech, although some critics said they were reluctant to heap such praise on such a vague movement.
Earlier this week, Watson announced that she had signed on to play the role of Belle in Disney's new live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast.
"My six-year-old self is on the ceiling – heart bursting. Time to start some singing lessons. I can't wait for you to see it," she wrote on Facebook.
Fairfax Media
