13 Reasons Emma Watson Is Life

If there’s anyone out there that fits the term “role model”, it’s Emma Watson. From Hermione to the the UN, it seems there’s nothing the gal can’t do, and as it’s her birthday today we thought it only right and proper we pay tribute.

So here it is - 13 reasons why Emma Watson is life.

1. Hermione Granger

Okay, so this one is probably a bit obvious. But without Emma, we wouldn’t have the same clever, strong and independent Hermione that showed millions of little girls that it was okay to be geeky - whilst also being badass enough to survive torture from Bellatrix Lestrange and saving the day multiple times. Oh, and punching Draco Malfoy in the face.

2. Her determination

Before Harry Potter, Emma had only acted in childhood productions - including an “angry cook” in Alice in Wonderland. It took her EIGHT AUDITIONS before she landed the role as Hermione. Yep, eight. Skip a couple of years - by 2009 she was Hollywood’s highest paid actress. You go girl.

3. Her acting talents extend way past Hogwarts

Not content with being the pride of the wizarding world, Emma went on to star in loads of films; from indie hit The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring to epic biblical drama Noah, as well as a cameo in This Is The End alongside Seth Rogen’s crew (where she finally got to drop the f-bomb).

She’s also playing Belle in the Disney live-action Beauty And The Beast, out now. And watch out for Emma in social media thriller The Circle, which is hitting cinemas later this year. Now that’s variety!

4. And she’s giving Disney a feminist boost

When Emma took on the role of Belle in the new Beauty And The Beast, no one expected her to play the Disney princess as a damsel in distress. She’s updated the character for the 21st century; Belle is an inventor (on Emma’s request) who encourages the other girls in her village to read, and wears bloomers and riding boots when she’s horseriding, not an impractical frilly dress.

Belle is an independent woman who swings a candlestick at the Beast when she first meets him instead of running scared and rejects village f***boy Gaston without “letting him down lightly” - showing she doesn’t owe men CRAP.

5. She’s one smart cookie

Not one to let acting get in the way of her education, Emma carried on with school while filming - earning 8As and 2A*s at GCSE, as well as 3 As at A-Level. On top of that, she got a degree from Brown University and studied at Oxford, showing that a gal really can have it all.

6. Her charity work

In 2012, a week after Hurricane Sandy hit, Emma volunteered to deliver food to elderly residents in and around Manhattan, as part of Meals on Wheels. She supports lots of charities, such as Blue Peter’s Nutrition Mission and the Small Steps Project, as well as urging her fans to donate to Unicef instead of sending her gifts. The actress has also travelled to Bangladesh and Zambia to do humanitarian work - the list goes on.

7. Not to mention her activism…

If there’s one thing Emma is known for, it’s her commitment to women’s rights. In July 2014 she was appointed UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, and made an awesome speech at the New York UN headquarters launching the feminist campaign HeForShe, aiming to get men involved in women’s rights issues. The speech grabbed the attention of the world, leading to 1.3m commitments to the cause, including loads of celebs; Harry Styles, Jared Leto, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Jackman, Eddie Redmayne and many others all signed up.

Since then, Emma has constantly spoke up about issues facing women worldwide, from the wage gap to sexual assault - as well as how sexism affects men, such as increased risk of male suicide. She’s dedicated and passionate; all the more reason to love her.

8. She hits back at trolls

After an interview with Vanity Fair, Emma faced a lot of online harassment over one of the more revealing photos, which some thought was hypocritically sexual after the actor’s feminist campaigns.

But she defended herself, stating “Feminism is about giving women choice (...) I really don’t see what my tits have to do with it.”

Emma perfectly shows how feminism means you should be able to empower yourself anyway you want; just because you aren’t wearing a top doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be listened to.

9. She literally looks like an angel

GODDESS.

10. Her book club!

Proving that not all child stars go off the rails, Emma runs one of the least “celeb diva” enterprises there is; a book club. It’s got over 187,000 members on GoodReads, and is updated twice a month; titles include classic feminist literature and biographies like Gloria Steinem’s Life On The Road.

Currently on the reading list is Women Who Run With the Wolves:Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype, by Clarissa Pinkola Estés. Early summer read, anyone?

11. She’s super creative

As well as acting, Emma occasionally lends her hand to designing; from 2009 to 2011, she collaborated on an eco-friendly fashion line with clothing brand People Tree. She also paints, showing her ambition has not stopped her creativity in other areas.

12. She’s not afraid to prioritise her mental well being

Being a multi-millionaire actor and activist means Emma has a pretty busy schedule. So it’s not surprising she recently made the decision to turn down selfies (although she’s always willing to with children or devoted fans), because of the risk of stalkers and paps; “If someone takes a photograph of me and posts it, within two seconds they’ve created a marker of exactly where I am within 10 meters (...) I just can’t give that tracking data”.

It takes a lot of guts for a celeb to say this, and it’s very reasonable - good on you Em!

13. Her down-to-earth nature

Despite growing up in the limelight, Emma insists on staying humble. From chatting to young fans to her ability to poke fun at herself, she could not be further from a spoilt Hollywood diva.

Happy bday Em - never change!

- Gloria Coles