I've always known the actress behind Hermione Granger was exceptional, but Emma Watson has continued to impress me as she grows up. Her #HeForShe campaign and work with UN Women has been most impressive and she's rallied a lot of men to be on the side of gender equality. So I'm not surprised at all that Emma Watson's new role is in the political thriller Colonia, considering how invested in politics she's been of late.
The film is a huge departure from anything Watson has ever done. After the conclusion of the Harry Potter series, Watson starred in a number of high profile dramas like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Bling Ring, and Noah. Colonia will be Watson's first political film, and it couldn't have come at a better time. The movie follows the 1973 Chilean military coup and Watson plays one half of a German couple who find themselves embroiled in violence during the attempts to overthrow Chilean president Salvador Allende.
Although outright the film's political motivations seem vastly different from the gender equality approach that Watson has been fighting for of late, there is still a lot to do with feminism in the film. When her character Lena learns that her partner Daniel was kidnapped by dictator-to-be Augusto Pinochet's army, Lena takes matters into her own hands and tracks him down to rescue him.
In Harry Potter we were treated to Watson's ability to play strong women, and in Colonia it seems we will get this opportunity again. It's nice to see that her dedication to entering the political realm is not only present in her personal life, but has seeped into her film choices, as well. She's already prompted important conversation with her #HeForShe speech. Now if she can tie her activism into her film career, she could be an unstoppable role model for change.
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