Emma Watson is speaking out against Hollywood’s unrealistic beauty standards and the immense pressure placed on women in the entertainment industry.
The Harry Potter star, now 35, shared her candid thoughts during the September 24 episode of On Purpose with Jay Shetty, revealing how exhausting it felt to constantly live up to expectations of glamour and perfection.
Watson admitted that her public image often felt disconnected from her true self. She explained that her persona had been “reproduced so many times” and had become “too heavy to carry.”
“I don’t know how to live up to what I look like on the cover of a magazine,” Watson confessed, noting that fame glamorizes women in ways that are often impossible to maintain. She contrasted this with her male costars, who can appear casually dressed without scrutiny, while women face hours of preparation just to be seen as “acceptable on camera.”
Calling it a “survivor island game show beauty nightmare,” Watson emphasized how draining the pressure can be. She praised Pamela Anderson for bravely attending a red carpet event without heavy makeup, calling the move both powerful and courageous.
“It’s wild. The expectations are … ,” she said. “The beauty standards are so unrealistic, and the bar only keeps rising.”
Her remarks follow a recent interview with Hollywood Authentic, where she reflected on stepping away from acting. Watson admitted she doesn’t miss the transactional side of the business but still values her artistic skills and passion for creativity.
Watson’s outspoken comments shine a light on how extreme beauty ideals persist in Hollywood while applauding women who challenge those outdated expectations.