Emma Watson hits back at diva claims

English actress Emma Watson. Photo / AP

Emma Watson thinks it's ridiculous that she would be called a diva or difficult if she spoke about the gender pay gap.

The 25-year-old star has taken a one-year sabbatical from her acting career to concentrate entirely on promoting her organisation HeForShe, which aims to raise awareness of women's rights worldwide.

One debate which has been causing a stir in recent months is the lack of equality between men and women in Hollywood, with stars including Jennifer Lawrence slamming the fact female actors are paid so much less than their male counterparts.

Watson is more than happy to bring the issue to the forefront, but knows she will most probably be criticised for doing so.

"We are not supposed to talk about money, because people will think you're 'difficult' or a 'diva'," Emma told Britain's Esquire magazine. "But there's a willingness now to be like, 'Fine. Call me a 'diva', call me a 'feminazi', call me 'difficult,' call me a 'First World feminist', call me whatever you want, it's not going to stop me from trying to do the right thing and make sure that the right thing happens.'

"Because it doesn't just affect me. Whether you are a woman on a tea plantation in Kenya, or a stockbroker on Wall Street, or a Hollywood actress, no one is being paid equally."

Watson became a household name after playing Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film franchise, and has since starred in movies such as Noah, The Bling Ring and My Week with Marilyn. But her fame hasn't prevented her from experiencing sexism in some of its rawest forms.

"I've had my a**e slapped as I've left a room," she said. "I've felt scared walking home. I've had people following me. I don't talk about these experiences much, because coming from me they'll sound like a huge deal and I don't want this to be about me, but most women I know have experienced it and worse."

Following her break from acting, Emma will be returning to the screen playing Belle in the live-action adaptation of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. While she is looking forward to the role, Watson insists she is thrilled to be doing exactly what she is right now.

"This is the most fun I've ever had," she said. "It's so awesome to be at the forefront of that wave and that energy and just being able to channel that which I found mildly horrifying - all of the crazy attention on me - and doing something good with it, it just feels like I'm really doing what I'm meant to be doing."

- WENN