Every modern Disney princess needs a fairy godmother, and in the case of Emma Watson, who transformed into Belle for Disney's live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast, there was only one woman for the position: Gloria Steinem.
Watson, 26, covers the March edition of Vanity Fair, where she revealed that she took the feminist icon to the final cut screening of Beauty and The Beast alongside her mother to ensure that the way she portrayed Belle didn't conflict with the ideals of a feminist.
"I couldn't care less if I won an Oscar or not if the movie didn't say something that I felt was important for people to hear," Watson said.
And while audiences will have to wait until March 17 to view the film, did Steinem approve of Watson's portrayal of Belle? Be our guest and take a guess...
"It was fascinating that her activism could be so well mirrored by the film," Steinem told Vanity Fair.
The pair formed a close friendship when Watson reached out to discuss the changing face of feminism. Watson has been vocal in her own feminism: giving speeches at the UN, launching the HeForShe movement and starting a feminist book club. It is something that she elaborates on in the interview.
"I used to be scared of words like 'feminism,' 'patriarchy,' 'imperialist.' But I'm not anymore," she said. Watson also attended January's Women's March with her mother.
When discussing Watson's feminism, Vanity Fair interviewer Derek Blasberg asked the Steinem whether Watson risked being perceived as "annoying" and a "ethical Goody Two-Shoes" by the public. Steinem was not amused.
"Let me ask you something: If you did a story on a young male actor who was very private and involved in activism, would you think he was too severe or serious? Why do women always have to be listeners," she said.
"Emma is interested in the world, she is caring, and though she is active she is also joyous and informed. It's possible to be both serious and fun, you know. That response is why men will ask a woman, 'Why don't you just smile, honey?'"
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The transformation of Belle into a feminist in the film is something that Watson was heavily involved in. Watson worked closely with costume designer Jacqueline Durran to use the costumes to highlight Belle's new-found independence, strength and resourcefulness. Watson also emphasised what is most arguably the most important change to the storyline: instead of Belle being an inventor's daughter, she is now an inventor herself.
Watson insisted that her character's iconic yellow ball gown ditched the corset, and was instrumental in introducing functionality into Belle's costumes, including pockets for her invention tools and swapping princess ballet flats for riding boots.
"The original sketches had her in her ballet shoes, which are lovely — don't get me wrong — but she's not going to be able to do anything terribly useful in ballet shoes in the middle of a French provincial village," Watson explained.
"I was like, 'The first shot of the movie cannot be Belle walking out of this quiet little town carrying a basket with a white napkin in it. We need to rev things up!'"
The actress believes that the development of Belle has been a true-coming-of-age story for herself.
"When I finished the film, it kind of felt like I had made that transition into being a woman on-screen," Watson told Vanity Fair.
"Belle is absolutely a Disney princess, but she's not a passive character—she's in charge of her own destiny."
Just like Emma Watson.
Read the whole interview at Vanity Fair.
