Showing posts with label Emma Watson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Emma Watson. Show all posts
In Hollywood, diversity has taken a step backwards-Lilly Singh
8:39 AM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; November 29, 2025)
Across 15 years, comedian, author and actor Lilly Singh has risen from a glittering digital sensation to a commanding voice in mainstream entertainment. Humour may be her forte, but her conscientious social awareness sets her apart. A fierce advocate for gender equality and the first woman of colour to host a U.S. late-night show, she remains a disruptor who refuses to fit into a mold. In India to film a new season of her podcast Shame Less With Lilly Singh, featuring diverse Indian celebrities, Bombay Times caught up with the pop culture trailblazer and diehard Bollywood fan for some heart-to-heart. Excerpts...
"There is more awareness about the power and reach of digital creators today, but I think there's still work to be done in terms of the respect they get. A lot of times even the biggest of digital creators are viewed by brands or agencies as just numbers or stats or demographics. You won’t describe actors that way”
There are so many podcasts these days. You are shooting your new season here. What draws you to this medium?
I know what it feels like to be asked redundant, surface level questions. I have been subjected to, ‘When are you getting married or tell us about your future projects’ grind, so I know what not to ask. I like to go deeper. I like to be asked about my fears, insecurities, anxieties and hope. The beauty of a conversation is like, oh, you said something and I'm hearing it. And now I'm picking your brain on this thing you said. It's less about interviewing people and more about having a conversation. We're expecting some heavy hitters on my show for sure. I am a huge Bollywood fan but we're trying to expand our show to other fields of life so it's not just going to be about actors and actresses.
You were awarded an honorary doctorate degree from York University recently. In your speech you said life rarely follows a straight path. ‘Having it all figured out is a myth’. Has that been your journey, too?
I was thinking when I was graduating, what do I wish someone had told me? And I think at that age, you really have a delusion around thinking you have things figured out. In your 20s, you're like, I know what I like and don't like, what my career is going to be and who I am as a person. But you really don't. We are constantly evolving in our life. I don't think we ever actually completely know who we are, especially at that age. I am York alumna, and I wanted to give the grads an idea that whatever degree they pursued, might not be their future job. I don't know a single person whose degree is the thing that they're doing. It’s Important to embrace that flexibility.
You started on YouTube 15 years ago, when it was not really a big thing. Today digital and social media are mainstream. Is there more respect for this profession (bloggers, influencers) today as opposed to 15 years ago?
I do think people understand it more now. I no longer get asked how do you make money on YouTube? How can you have a career? People understand the profession more now. There is more awareness about the power and reach of creators, but I think there's still work to be done in terms of the respect they get. A lot of times even the biggest of digital creators are viewed by brands- or agencies as just numbers or stats or demographics. You won’t describe actors that way. It’s not mentally healthy for people to just be known for their online following. It’s not the right message to send across.
There’s also a debate on casting being influenced by a talent’s social media following. Good acting should get you an acting part, isn’t it? What’s your take on that?
I'm privileged in the sense that it's never personally happened to me. Maybe that's because I have a big online following, so maybe I'm on the other side of that. I think it's a greater conversation, as casting directors, the people that make decisions, they care about way too many things. Like, oh, this show will become too diverse if this person gets cast, or this person doesn't look this way. There are too many factors at play. It should just be about whether this person embodies this part. We need to go back to art a little bit. We've commercialized and made everything into a business.
You’ve always been at the forefront of this fight for diversity and representation in Hollywood. Is there more room for South Asian actors in the west now?
If I were to invite all the brown people in Hollywood today, I will have a full house. But if you ask any of them if it is easier for them to be cast or make movies, their answer will be no. In fact, in Hollywood diversity has taken a step backwards. It’s even harder than before. There was a period when executives felt guilty about diversity, and they did some diverse stuff, but we have gone back to making movies on white people. I go to the theatre all the time and play this game. I hang on for the previews and make note of how many films have exclusively white people. Five out of eight trailers will only have white people. You don’t need all white casting for stories to be told. So, I do think that we are taking steps backwards. But not to be too pessimistic, I do think that there's a lot of desis in Hollywood now, who are fighting this. Listen, I'm super grateful. I cannot complain about my career. I get to do cool things, but I don't think people realize how hard it is behind the scenes. Everyday, I am fighting with people to get stories made, to get stories made, to get finance, distribution, to get a budget that makes making a movie even possible. Everything is a challenge.
You use humour as a social dialogue, way beyond entertainment. What's your take on this standard critique that women are not funny enough?
I don't think anyone needs to be anything. People should do what's right for them. In my personal life or career, I've always used comedy. I think it makes things a lot easier. People don’t like to be told what to do so humour helps. Not every joke you tell has to impact culture and break patriarchy. Sometimes it's also just about being human. And people who say, women are not funny enough? They are dumb. You know what's so funny about the women aren't funny remark? It makes me laugh because comedy is subjective. I'm going to find something funny. You're not going to find it funny. It’ fine. When someone goes, oh, you're not funny because I didn't find you funny. Like, baby boy, this is not for you, Ben. I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it for this person over here. Why do you think you matter?
We have seen you with Reese Witherspoon, Priyanka Chopra. You are a girl’s girl. How important is sisterhood in your life?
Female friendship has always been important to me but at 37, sisterhood is everything to me. Because women have unique experiences that not everyone can understand. They see your pain. There’s so much empathy. Female friendship makes me most seen. Growing up, I was never taught this, but we should talk about finances, contract, how did we achieve this or that if we wish to progress together. So many women have inspired me. I mean, my mom is here. Malala Yousafzai is so inspiring. Priyanka Chopra’s fierce foray and transition to Hollywood. She fought battles that most of us don’t even know. Emma Watson’s gender advocacy... I am standing on the shoulders of these women.
For a non-Mumbaikar you are quite filmy. Tell us about your take on the city and Bollywood.
Mumbai holds a special place in my heart. I have been here a bunch of time. As a kid I would only visit Punjab when iI would come to India as that’s where my family is. I came to Mumbai the first time in 2013-2014 and it's a core memory for me because I was invited to Mannat and I also met Madhuri Dixit. I have that same giddy feeling now. I love the people here and the jugaad that happens. Everyone genuinely believes that tension nahi leneka, everything is workable. I find that inspiring and amusing because I am always tense. As far as Bollywood is concerned, I am obsessed! I was raised exclusively on Bollywood in Toronto. My first movie, my first concert, all Bollywood. Which is why, when I do auditions in Hollywood now, they're always like, ‘your facial expressions, your timing, it's all a little dramatic’ (laughed). I would love to do a Bollywood film! Karan, are you listening?
Siddhant Chaturvedi wants Emma Watson as his Oscar date
7:52 AM
MUMBAI MIRROR (November 12, 2019)
Siddhant Chaturvedi shot to fame with his role as MC Sher in Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt’s Gully Boy. But on his recent turn on No Filter Neha, the actor revealed that he had turned down the role and didn’t even audition for it. “I wanted to start with a lead role and Bollywood had enough examples to scare me into believing that the hero’s friend gets typecast. I thought it wasn’t an important character initially,” he admitted sheepishly. Siddhant is glad that he eventually took it up as his performance got him noticed. “After the trailer launch, my parents called me to inform that a journalist had called to ask about me. They were very proud,” he smiled.
Now that his debut film has been selected as India’s official entry to the Oscars in the Best Foreign Language Film category, the actor is looking forward to make an appearance on the red carpet in Los Angeles. Does he have a date in mind for the evening? Pat comes the answer, “Emma Watson.” Great expectations indeed for the Sher.
When the stars are woke: More celebrities are speaking up for social justice, while also trying to stay popular
8:28 AM
THE TIMES OF INDIA (September 15, 2019)
Celebrities aren’t what they used to be. Not long ago, they were bland ambassadors of their movies, music or sports. Their social concern was limited to causes that offended no one — a green marathon, or a cancer awareness ribbon.
Then a few, like Angelina Jolie, Bono and Madonna took up humanitarian causes around the world. This made for riveting pictures, the world sighed in sympathy. But even then, they steered clear of anything contentious in their own country, like racial justice or social equality. Famous women regularly insisted that they weren’t feminists.
But now, a new generation of woke celebs has blown away those conventions. Look at Beyonce, confident, compelling and feminist. Emma Watson declaring that trans rights are human rights.
Priyanka Chopra proudly calls herself feminist, and her pal Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, is editing the September issue of Vogue dedicated to female changemakers. It’s cool to care, and wear your earnestness on your designer sleeve.
And why not? We live in an image-driven world. When even politics is seen as entertainment, why shouldn’t entertainers, who are used to constant attention, direct that attention to causes they care about. They have influence, and they want to influence public conversation.
Some celebrities do have skin in the game, beyond holding up signs and mouthing platitudes. Deepika Padukone is sincerely focused on mental health work, after her own struggle with depression. Kim Kardashian not only professes to care about prison reform, she is training as a lawyer to do more about it.
Of course, there are still limits to what they can do. In the US, footballer Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the US national anthem to protest police brutality, and the reverberations have not ceased. In India, Aamir Khan can talk about children’s causes all he wants, but one mention of religious intolerance, and the trolls descend on him, threatening dire consequences. All the celebrities who spoke out against powerful men in the movie industry have faced immense pushback. No wonder that the bulk of celebrity activism still confines itself to safe causes — you can’t expect a celebrity to not care about popularity.
And so, many of them still confine themselves to causes that don’t challenge any real power. For instance, feminism was once a movement that cared about women’s collective emancipation, not just individual “icons” making whatever free choice they want. But in recent years, advertisers and PR machines have embraced a feel-good feminism, and social media is full of a shallow “yass, kween slay” rhetoric. In these times, it’s an effective way of brand-building, garnering attention and approval. It doesn’t get into mundane issues like wage equality and childcare, but is all about body positivity and sassy clapbacks. Barring a few, celebrities rarely talk about caste or class inequality, or injustice against minorities.
Celebrity activists also invariably mess up, failing their own causes. Priyanka Chopra bills herself as a feminist and goodwill ambassador for peace. But she was attacked for her cheery selfies from the Holocaust Memorial, for behaving like a badwill ambassador for war when she cheered on a military strike, and then accused her Pakistani questioner of “venting” and embarrassing herself. J K Rowling has been accused of being trans-phobic. Emma Watson faced the fire when she endorsed a skin-brightening product. Katy Perry spoke about “this strange race to be the most woke”. As she put it, “they want you to stand for something, but once you do, and if you don’t do it perfectly, they’re ready to take you right down.”
This isn’t fair to them, or the cause they are espousing. We might enjoy the idea of putting people up on pedestals and dragging them down, but celebrities are human too, evolving their views under constant public scrutiny. Sure, their opinions are often basic. But perhaps, instead of sneering at them to prove our own ideological purity, we might do better to help them widen and deepen their own views. Anyone who is willing to walk back on their mistakes and learn, is worth applauding.
The test is not about whether a celebrity is woke or not, it is whether they make an effort to stay conscious of unfairness or prefer to sleepwalk in their privilege. And dismantling social injustice is not the burden of icons and stars, it is a collective effort.
Emma Watson impressed with Farhan Akhtar's MARD initiative
8:01 AM
Harshada Rege (DNA; December 15, 2014)
Just last month, Farhan Akhtar was appointed South
Asia Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women. And even more recently, Emma
Watson, a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador herself, tweeted about Akhtar’s
initiative, MARD (Men Against Rape and Discrimination), which the actor
started after Pallavi Purkayastha, a lawyer associated with his
production house, was brutally murdered at her home.
The actor’s cause received acclaim and applause for raising awareness about violence against women and for standing up for gender equality. Through her tweet, Emma welcomed Farhan on board the UN Women’s latest initiative — the #HeForShe campaign and also mentioned that she is looking forward to meeting the actor.
Says Farhan, “MARD has received tremendous support from people who are great role models for young men and boys in India. It has given the initiative an added impetus and I am truly thankful to each of them for vocalising their shared concern and support.”
ON THE HOME FRONT
Farahan’s MARD initiative has got a lot of support from within the industry too. Right from Priyanka Chopra, who regularly retweets messages to Sachin Tendulkar, Mahesh Babu, Shaan, and Yuvraj Singh who have lent their voice for the MARD anthem in different languages. Farhan also makes it a point to talk about it to the youth. In fact, before all his concerts in schools and colleges, Farhan underscores the importance of gender equality.
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