We may not know any spells on how to magically summon a cake, so we’re just going to have to settle on wishing Emma Watson a bewitching 25th birthday!
We all now Emma as clever Hermione Granger in Harry Potter, but Emma has really come into her own as an informed, graceful, grounded, well-spoken and passionate advocate for women’s rights that we love, respect and admire. She’s addressed the United Nations, and in doing so, motivated us-men and women alike- to be and do better.
Arguably Emma’s biggest moment of 2014 came in September. Emma was appointed a U.N. Women Goodwill Ambassador. She then delivered an intense speech on ending gender equality throughout the world. Along with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Emma helped launch theHeForShe campaign with the goal of including more boys and men in the fight for equality.
Emma also campaigned for #HeForShe at the 2015 World Economic Forum on January 23, 2015. Emma reported the positive initial response to the program, before stressing the need for additional efforts to end gender inequality, once and for all.
You may think you know this powerful young woman, but here are 10 things you didn’t know about our favourite Grazia girl:
- Emma Watson was born in Paris. She lived in Paris until the age of five and moved to England following her parents’ divorce.
- She wanted to become an actress since she was six years old. Emma had never acted professionally until, at the age of nine, her theatre teacher referred her to the agents looking to cast Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series. She secured her part after auditioning eight times.
- Emma’s first role outside the Harry Potter franchise was the BBC film ‘Ballet Shoes’ in 2007, an adaptation of the novel by the same name. She also lent her voice to the role of Princess Pea in the animated film ‘The Tale of Despereaux’.
- Emma Watson is the youngest star to have graced the cover of Teen Vogue at the age of 15.
- She graduated from Brown University in the US in English literature on May 25, 2014.
- Emma is a cat lover. She has two cats: Bubbles and Domino.
- Emma Watson is a certified yoga and meditation instructor.
- In 2014, she was appointed as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and helped launch the UN Women campaign HeForShe, which calls for men to advocate gender equality.
- Emma Watson will mark her singing debut in a live-action adaptation of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ where she will play Belle opposite Dan Stevens, the Beast.
- In February 2010, she was named as Hollywood’s highest paid actress, having earned an estimated 19 million pounds in 2009.