dishwashing

Pulaski

She was famous for playing Hermione. If it wasn't that she is as cute as a button today I doubt she'd still be famous, because she certainly isn't famous for any of the roles she's played since the last Harry Potter film!

dishwashing

I thought she was ordinary in NOAH

Alan2005

But without the harry potter films nobody would know who she was. Her good looks on their own aren't enough as there are plenty of better looking women who aren't famous. The fact that she already is underpins everything she has achieved since.

Pulaski

That is undoubtedly correct, in it's entirety.

My point was, to build on your first sentence, that being in the Harry Potter movies was not alone sufficient to make her (still) famous in 2014. Being cute as a button, and presumably having good stylists and makeup artists, has extended her fame. Without another big hit film in the next 2-3 years I doubt we'll hear much more of her when she hits her 30's.

ann m

Why don't we treat George Clooney to the same debate? He's a successful (if pretty average) actor, generally very easy on the eye and is a often an advertising clothes horse. He's also intelligent, socially aware, financially successful and often rants on the injustices in, for example, Darfur. As a celeb, is he unqualified to comment on these things?

Pulaski

Sure, though I'm not sure where you're going with that idea. George Clooney seems like a dick to me. I avoid any film that he's in and don't give a stuff what he says about anything.

Souvy

My missus is hot on equality but I somehow suspect her approach to it would not make her a great ambassador. Not judging from the story she told me a few days ago

ann m

I'm just using the same argument that Jings used in his opener. Emma is unqualified. Are all celebs unqualified? I guess we don't know enough about Emma yet to decide if she is a dick, but does it make the message any less meaningful?

As a celeb of any kind, you will never be judged as the ordinary voice. But who listens to the ordinary voices? Damned if you do, and damned if you don't. On the one hand, why not use their high profile to promote something, and on the other hand "how would they know, they live in a palace".....

Jingsamichty

But George Clooney speaks as a private individual, and is therefore mostly - and rightfully- politely ignored. Nobody from the UN has decided "There's a big problem in Darfur and I think only a Hollywood star can save the day."

BTW, I heard EW's speech, and for a professional actress she sounded very wooden and nervous. The speech itself was full of the usual empty platitudes... I half expected her to say "Where there is discord, may we bring harmony...". But that's all by-the-by because my main point was absolutely nothing against Ms Watson herself, but against the UN for thinking that she is the most apropriate figurehead for feminism. that must be a real kick in the teeth for all the dedicated women who work tirelessly in fields like science and industry.

Pulaski

That's not true. George Clooney was a UN Ambassador for Peace from 2008-2014. So unfortunately someone at the UN did think that George was going to save the day in Darfur.

gryphea

That's me and I liked it,

bats

Perhaps it's sexism that she was chosen as she grew up pretty. Leonardo diCaprio was selected to represent the UN for climate change and he turned out fat and slobby. I can't imagine the UN choosing a fat and slobby woman let alone the world taking any notice.

Jingsamichty

Wow. 6 years as a Peace Ambassador. I didn't know that. Well, the world's certainly a lot more peaceful place than it was in 2008, so you can't say that these UN peeps don't know what they're doing. Thanks for your effort, George.

I'm glad, I don't want to fight, just debate the effectiveness of this position. We shall see in time if she really makes a difference to women's equality, even within the UN, or whether it's just another pointless celebrity endorsement.

Leonardo di Caprio was a UN Climate Change Ambassador? How many of these appointments are there? I'm beginning to feel even more convinced that this is just celeb-tastic lipservice from the UN... easier to hire a celeb to trot out a few platitudes than it is to do anything tanglible.

bats

You could be right there. It's a sign of how shallow the world is that we need a celeb to get us interested in issues. I applaud the idea that Emma Watson was chosen as she is very popular with young girls and women. If it makes the more aware of inherent misogyny especially before going to college and uni where abuse and rape aren't always condemned then it's a good appointment.