R6: Emma Watson, Our Real Life Hermione Granger

The world fell in love with Emma Watson when she made her debut on the big screen as our favorite literary heroine, Hermione Granger, in the Harry Potter(2001-2011). As we became acquainted with Emma Watson, and her co-stars, it became clear just of perfect each of them fit the roles of their respective characters. In the books, the character of Hermione Granger is known as the bookworm and scholar of her friends. In real life, as we got to know the actors, we saw just how alike Emma Watson was to Hermione. When it came time for Emma to continue her education, she applied to and was accepted into the Ivy League University, Brown (if Hermione Granger were a real person, the world wouldn't be surprised if she was accepted into Ivy League institutions as well). Aside from the fact that Emma resembles her onscreen character, the world has come to love and adore Emma through her activism and use of social media accounts to connect with her fans.

In their article "To Be See and Be Seen: Celebrity Practice on Twitter", Alice Marwick and dana boyd examine how celebrities use Twitter as a platform to connect with their fans. "Through analysis of tweets from 237 highly followed Twitter users, we find that celebrity practice involves presenting a seemingly authentic, intimate image of self while meeting fan expectations and maintaining important relationships," (Marwick, boyd 140). Marwick and boyd examine the platform as a way for celebrities to intimately connect with their fans. In the article, they mention case studies done on three celebrities, Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus, and Perez Hilton. Each study showed how the celebrities connected with their fans through @replies, retweets and personal, private messages known as DMing.

Emma Watson uses her activism and celebrity status on Twitter as an outlet to deeply connect with her fans. Known for her love of books much like her fictional alter-ego Hermione Granger, Emma has started her online book club called Our Shared Self. It is known as a feminist book club where anyone is allowed to join (http://time.com/4172664/join-emma-watsons-feminist-book-club/). Through this book club and Twitter she encourages her fans and followers to read books authored by women. Last month on International Women's Day (March 8, 2017), she posted on Twitter places where she was dropping of copies of books around New York City at the same time promoting Twitter user The Book Fairi
es (@the_bookfairies).

As a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador she actively promotes equality especially through the campaign "He For She" which promotes gender equality. (http://www.heforshe.org/en). Emma Watson is very active on Twitter not just to promote and support her activism around the world but to promote all the projects she's attached to, including her films. 

Posting the above behind the scenes photos of Beauty and the Beast (2017), gave fans an intimate look into the filming process. Through Emma's Twitter posts she is allowing fans an intimate look into her life, sharing her love of acting and her love of the beauty of the world. 

Sources: 

Marwick, Alice, and boyd, Danah, “To See and Be Seen: Celebrity Practice on Twitter,” Convergence May 2011 vol. 17 no. 2 139-158, http://www.tiara.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/marwick_boyd_to_see_and_be_seen.pdf 

Watson, Emma (@EmmaWatson). "From midnoght NYC time, book fairies around the WORLD..." March 7, 2017. Tweet

Watson, Emma (@EmmaWatson). "Today I'm a red-striking ninja book-fairy out to spread some wise women's words @the_bookfairies #IWDOurSharedShelf...) March 8, 2017. Tweet.

Watson, Emma (@EmmaWatson) "Dropping off books at Eleanor Roodevelt's monument..." March 8, 2017. Tweet.

Watson, Emma (@EmmaWatson) "George V!! #HalfTheSky is right next to you!..." March 8, 2017. Tweet.

Watson, Emma (@EmmaWatson) "Thank you to everyone who saw our film Beauty and the Beast! I saw so many lovely photos of families at the cinema together@ Love, Em x" March 22, 2017. Tweet.

Watson, Emma (@EmmaWatson) "@WeAreTheCircle xx" April 4, 2017. Tweet.

McCluskey, Megan. "Here's How to Join Emma Watson's Feminist Book Club". Time.com. January 8, 2016. Web. http://time.com/4172664/join-emma-watsons-feminist-book-club/. Accessed April 25, 2017.

He For She Website http://www.heforshe.org/en. Accessed April 25, 2017.