Emma Watson has addressed the unprecedented response she received when she described herself as “self-partnered”, saying she is “happy people feel empowered” by her words.
Last month, the actor was interviewed by journalist and transgender rights activist Paris Lees for the November issue of British Vogue.
During their discussion, Watson spoke to Lees about the pressure she feels regarding turning 30 next year, and about how her perspective on being single has changed over the years.
“It took me a long time, but I’m very happy [being single]. I call it being self-partnered,” she said at the time, a statement that prompted a viral reaction in the media.
While speaking with E! News on the red carpet at New York premiere of the Greta Gerwig-directed film Little Women, Watson was asked whether she knew describing herself as self-partnered would “start this entire revolution”.
“No. I literally said it as a throwaway comment, thinking it would go no further, and then I woke up the next morning and my phone’s blowing up and I don’t know why. It’s all my friends messaging me being like, ‘Self-partnered, this thing’s gone crazy’,” the activist stated.
“I’m so happy people feel empowered by my stressful moment. It’s great.”
Watson provided a more detailed explanation of what it means to be self-partnered, explaining that in her view, anyone can describe themselves as such, whether they are in a relationship or not.
“For me it’s much more about your relationship with yourself and the feeling of you’re not somehow deficient, in some way, because you aren’t with someone,” she said.
“You’re like, ‘I’ve got this. I’ve got myself’.”
1/10 Emma Watson
During a 2011 Interview with Vogue, actor Emma Watson opened about her failures. ‘I don’t want the fear of failure to stop me from doing what I really care about,’ she told the publication.
Getty
2/10 Michael Jordan
In a 2006 Nike commercial titled ‘Failure’, basketball star Michael Jordan shared his low moments during his sporting career. ‘I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career,’ the sportsman said in the clip. ‘I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.’
Getty Images
3/10 Oprah Winfrey
TV presenter and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey talked about failure in her 2013 Harvard Commencement address. ‘There is no such thing as failure,’ she told the audience. ‘Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.’
Getty Images
4/10 Taylor Swift
Singer Taylor Swift spoke to her audiences during her 2013-14 ‘Red Tour’ about how to have the confidence to keep fighting for succcess. ‘Fearless is getting back up and fighting for what you want over and over again… even though every time you’ve tried before you’ve lost.’ she told her fans.
Getty Images for NARAS
5/10 Malala Yousafzai
Women’s education activist Malala Yousafzai spoke about the importance of standing up for what you believe in during an ABC interview in 2013. The 22-year-old said: ‘I think life is dangerous. Some people get afraid of it. Some people don’t go forward. But some people, if they want to achieve their goal, they have to go, they have to move.’
Getty Images
6/10 Beyoncé
In ‘“Self-titled”: Part 2. Imperfection’, a mini-documentary posted by the singer on YouTube in 2013, Beyoncé opened up about the importance of failing in life. ‘The reality is, sometimes you lose,’ she said. ‘And you’re never too good to lose, you’re never too big to lose, you’re never too smart to lose, it happens. And it happens when it needs to happen. And you have to embrace those things.’
Getty Images for Coachella
7/10 J.K. Rowling
In a 2008 Harvard Commencement address about the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination, author J.K Rowling stated: ‘It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default. Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations.’
Getty Images
8/10 Hillary Clinton
Ending her 2008 campaign for US President, former Senator and Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton reflected on her journey. ‘Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in,’ she said. ‘And, when you stumble, keep faith. And, when you’re knocked down, get right back up and never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on.’
Getty Images
9/10 Maya Angelou
The late American poet is widely believed to have once stated: ‘Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.’
Getty Images
10/10 Sandra Bullock
Actor Sandra Bullock shared her reflections on her fears in an interview with the Express in 2013. ‘I was afraid of being a failure, of not having the best time or of being chicken,’ she told the publication. ‘But every year I get older I think, “what was I fearing last year?” you forget. And then you move on.’
Getty Images
1/10 Emma Watson
During a 2011 Interview with Vogue, actor Emma Watson opened about her failures. ‘I don’t want the fear of failure to stop me from doing what I really care about,’ she told the publication.
Getty
2/10 Michael Jordan
In a 2006 Nike commercial titled ‘Failure’, basketball star Michael Jordan shared his low moments during his sporting career. ‘I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career,’ the sportsman said in the clip. ‘I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.’
Getty Images
3/10 Oprah Winfrey
TV presenter and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey talked about failure in her 2013 Harvard Commencement address. ‘There is no such thing as failure,’ she told the audience. ‘Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.’
Getty Images
4/10 Taylor Swift
Singer Taylor Swift spoke to her audiences during her 2013-14 ‘Red Tour’ about how to have the confidence to keep fighting for succcess. ‘Fearless is getting back up and fighting for what you want over and over again… even though every time you’ve tried before you’ve lost.’ she told her fans.
Getty Images for NARAS
5/10 Malala Yousafzai
Women’s education activist Malala Yousafzai spoke about the importance of standing up for what you believe in during an ABC interview in 2013. The 22-year-old said: ‘I think life is dangerous. Some people get afraid of it. Some people don’t go forward. But some people, if they want to achieve their goal, they have to go, they have to move.’
Getty Images
6/10 Beyoncé
In ‘“Self-titled”: Part 2. Imperfection’, a mini-documentary posted by the singer on YouTube in 2013, Beyoncé opened up about the importance of failing in life. ‘The reality is, sometimes you lose,’ she said. ‘And you’re never too good to lose, you’re never too big to lose, you’re never too smart to lose, it happens. And it happens when it needs to happen. And you have to embrace those things.’
Getty Images for Coachella
7/10 J.K. Rowling
In a 2008 Harvard Commencement address about the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination, author J.K Rowling stated: ‘It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default. Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations.’
Getty Images
8/10 Hillary Clinton
Ending her 2008 campaign for US President, former Senator and Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton reflected on her journey. ‘Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in,’ she said. ‘And, when you stumble, keep faith. And, when you’re knocked down, get right back up and never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on.’
Getty Images
9/10 Maya Angelou
The late American poet is widely believed to have once stated: ‘Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.’
Getty Images
10/10 Sandra Bullock
Actor Sandra Bullock shared her reflections on her fears in an interview with the Express in 2013. ‘I was afraid of being a failure, of not having the best time or of being chicken,’ she told the publication. ‘But every year I get older I think, “what was I fearing last year?” you forget. And then you move on.’
Getty Images
While some people initially voiced their confusion over the “self-partnered” phrase, others expressed their admiration for Watson’s coining of the term.
“I’m now referring to myself as self-partnered instead of single, I love my new relationship status, thank u Emma Watson for this [sic],” one person tweeted.
“I turn 30 two weeks before Emma Watson. This is so good from her,” another remarked. “I will respond ‘self-partnered and shopping for an allotment’ whenever anyone asks. What a force she is.”
Little Women, in which Watson stars as the eldest sister Meg March, received only one Golden Globe nomination, for Saoirse Ronan in the Best Actress in a Motion Picture category.
Ronan, who plays the outspoken Jo March in the film, subtly criticised the Golden Globes for failing to nominate Gerwig in the Best Director category, stating: “My performance in this film belongs to Greta as much as it does myself and I share this recognition completely with her.”
