The shaken image of “jade girl” has become a big challenge for Emma Watson’s career.
Millions of people around the world know Emma Watson for her role as the intelligent and brave Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series. From a petite witch, Emma has grown up in front of the public, becoming an icon of intelligence, active social activities and elegant style.
However, at the age of 35 (in 2025), her “Disney princess” image is at risk of collapsing when she is continuously caught up in accusations of hypocrisy, causing the public to question the real person behind the halo.
From talented child star to global icon
Entering the film industry at the age of 9, Emma Watson brilliantly transformed into Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series. This role not only brought her global fame but also shaped the image of an intelligent, strong and steadfast girl in the hearts of the audience. During 10 years of being attached to Harry Potter, Emma has proven her acting ability to mature with each film, from a lovely girl to a powerful witch.
After Harry Potter, Emma Watson tried to escape the shadow of Hermione. She chose more diverse roles in films such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), The Bling Ring (2013), and especially Belle in the live-action version of Beauty and the Beast (2017). The role of Belle solidified her “Disney princess” image, a modern, demanding and strong princess, in line with the feminist spirit she pursues.
Emma Watson is also known as an active social activist, especially on gender equality issues. She is a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, spoke at the United Nations about the HeForShe campaign and has always been a strong supporter of women’s rights. Her graduation from the prestigious Brown University further solidifies her image as an “educated star”, different from many of her colleagues in the industry.
Age 35: A series of “fake” scandals and a cracked image
However, as she turned 35, scandals and controversies began to surround Emma Watson, threatening to destroy the “perfect” image she had worked so hard to build. Accusations of hypocrisy increased, causing the public to view her with skepticism.
Recently, Emma Watson has been constantly having problems related to traffic. On July 16, Emma Watson is expected to appear in court on charges of speeding. The incident occurred on Banbury Road, Oxford, UK on July 31, 2024. The actress was charged by postal letter, and she is said to have pleaded guilty in March 2025.
Critics have pointed out the irony of Emma Watson speeding around in a £30,000 Audi supercar while preaching about environmental protection. The car is not environmentally friendly at all, while its owner is a prominent figure at COP26 and has even written a book on the subject of sustainable development. This is not the first time Watson’s Audi has caused trouble.
In February 2024, her car was impounded for illegally parking outside a pub in Stratford-upon-Avon, UK. The pub owner had to call the police because the car blocked the door for 4 hours.
Despite always supporting sustainable and environmentally friendly fashion, Emma Watson was discovered to use expensive private airline services, causing a large amount of carbon emissions. She was also criticized for wearing luxury brands with unclear ethical or environmental origins, while still preaching about green living. These “loopholes” made the public think that her environmental activities were just part of a PR strategy.
Many people also think that Emma Watson is just using “feminism” as a marketing ploy. She was accused of only mentioning feminism in a general, “safe” way, not going into more thorny issues. Some people commented that her message is not really profound and sometimes just “showy”, without specific actions to match. For example, her using nude photos to “talk about feminism” was counterproductive, considered contradictory to the message.
Specifically, the actress caused controversy when she posed semi-nude for Vanity Fair magazine. Some people said that this image was not suitable for her status as a feminist activist, especially when she was promoting the HeForShe gender equality campaign.
Emma responded strongly, saying “I don’t understand what my breasts have to do with feminism” and emphasized that feminism should not limit the way women express themselves. This incident caused heated debate on social networks.
Some directors and colleagues who have worked together have hinted or directly shared that Emma Watson has an unprofessional, difficult and demanding work attitude. This goes against the “modest” and “understanding” image that she often shows. Some rumors say that Emma tends to take advantage of relationships to serve her personal image or career, then quickly cut them off when they are no longer needed. However, this is just an unverified rumor.
More seriously, she was accused of being involved with “sex kingpin” Harvey Weinstein. A post on X mentioned a photo of Emma Watson with Harvey Weinstein when she was 19, along with the accusation that she “knew what she was doing”. However, this is just a rumor on social media, there is no real evidence linking her to the Weinstein scandal. Emma has spoken out in support of victims of sexual harassment in the context of the Weinstein case, affirming that she stands with those who dare to speak up.
Emma Watson is considered a talented star, but her acting ability also causes mixed opinions. Although she has participated in many film projects after Harry Potter, many audiences and critics believe that Emma Watson’s acting is still monotonous, lacking breakthroughs and not really diverse. She is often criticized for not being able to escape the image of Hermione, or just playing the role well without making a deep impression. This is contrary to the image of a “talented star” that she is labeled.