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Emma Watson has shared a sweet throwback with JK Rowling, as the Harry Potter author turned 54 today.

The Hermione Granger actress was feeling particularly fancy on Wednesday as she took to Instagram to share a snap with Rowling – real name Joanne Rowling – at a party.

In the undated snap, Emma and JK pose alongside Harry Potter co-star Evanna Lynch – who played Luna Lovegood – for the themed costume party.

We have no idea what the theme was (perhaps it was just Halloween or something general like that) but all three women look smashing.

Emma was dressed as Wonder Woman complete with leather headband, while Evanna was a cat, with face paint and makeshift cat ears fashioned from her blonde hair.

In the caption, Emma teased an insight into what the author was dressed as, as she mentioned the idea of ‘sexy and scary’ in the birthday tribute.

‘Sexy and scary! 👻 You smashed this. All the love to you Jo. Happy Birthday!!!!’ she wrote alongside the epic pic.

‘Extra points to @msevylynch for being the most perfect cat. 🐯’

Evanna took to the comments section as she said: ‘Ahhhh I didn’t know this photo existed!!!!’

As one signalled it was a ‘way to bless potterheads’ many others were chuffed Hermione and Luna were in the same photo.

And a whole bunch of people just wanted to say: ’10 points to Gryffindor.’

With her own birthday tribute, Evanna wrote on Twitter alongside the word of the day, which was, coincidentally ‘dumbledore’: ‘Anyone else just get VERY excited about the word of the day today?! I feel like @jk_rowling would.

‘Happy Birthday, Jo + Harry!! May you continue being a reigning literary queen with the power to bring fabulous old English words back into pop culture!!’

Meanwhile, Emma is no stranger to sharing a bunch of throwbacks and Harry Potter reunions with the fans, knowing it’s much easier to bless us with the sort of love we want from the crew than to keep it to herself.

She’s selfless like that.

Earlier this year she caught up with Draco Malfoy’s Tom Felton for a casual yet stunning photoshoot.

The actors, who shot to fame in the Harry Potter movies, may have been enemies in the wizarding world but IRL Hermione and Draco are actually bezzies.

So much so, that Emma and Tom reunited with one another recently, with Emma proving how good a photographer her pal is.

Sadly there was no blow by blow of their reunion or a snap of the pair together, but Emma did share a very cool picture of her chilling in her car that Tom had taken. Posting it to her Instagram page for her 50 million followers to see, Emma wrote: ‘Friends capture you best,’ and tagged Tom in her caption.

Obsessed. Obsessed we were.

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Emma Watson, Kristen Stewart, The Crown’s Claire Foy and Yara Shahidi are among nine stars to take on their own version of Juliet in Shakespeare’s Romeo And Juliet for the 2020 Pirelli calendar.

Shot in Paris, France and Verona, Italy, in May, the female protoganists put their own spin on the character with Twilight actress Kristen choosing to wear leather and lounge on a table reading for her interpretation, while Claire wore feathers and went for a more traditional look with a bejewelled head crown.

Mia Goth, Chinese singer Chris Lee, the Spanish singer Rosalia, transgender and non-binary star Indya Moore and the Franco-Italian artist Stella Roversi all also appear in the shots, taken by Paolo Roversi.

In a behind the scenes video, Kristen said she is a ‘huge Juliet advocate’ as the fictional young woman was ‘a baller’.

‘I think to give yourself to someone fully is the strongest thing you can do. I am a huge Juliet advocate. I think she is a baller. There are Juliets absolutely everywhere, and also I think I am Romeo, I am Juliet,’ she said.

Foy, best known as Queen Elizabeth II in Netflix’s The Crown, added: ‘He’s looking for a 35-year-old Juliet. That’s the idea is that it’s Paolo’s new modern interpretation of her.’

Roversi said of his calendar: ‘I am still searching for my Juliet and I will be searching all my life. Because Juliet is a dream.’

Harry Potter star Emma chose a bubblegum pink gown for one version of her portrayal.

In another her Juliet wears a simple black tee and jeans, with loose unstyled hair.

The project aims to ‘take its cue from the Shakespearean drama and the intersection of love, strength, youth and beauty embodied by its female protagonist’.

Those asked to take part werepresent the role of Juliet in an ideal casting session that sees them act, pose, sing; each through their own emotion, art form, personality, character and interpretation of the role.

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A new free helpline has been launched to help women who are being sexually harassed at work.

The new service was given a boost by actress Emma Watson who helped announce it today.

Women will be able to receive advice on several issues, including what behaviour represents sexual harassment and how to bring the matter up to bosses.

Watson said: ‘I’m certainly hopeful that with global standards such as the recent International Labour Organisation treaty on harassment at work, we’ll start to see a new climate of prevention and accountability on this issue domestically.

‘Understanding what your rights are, how you can assert them, and the choices you have if you’ve experienced harassment is such a vital part of creating safe workplaces for everyone.

‘This advice line is such a huge development in ensuring that all women are supported, wherever we work.’

The phone line is backed by the Time’s Up UK Justice and Equality Fund, which Watson campaigns for.

The actress donated money alongside members of then public to fund the line.

She expressed her concern there was not already a similar service available.

The phone line can be reached at 020 7490 0152 in England and Wales and is managed by Rosa, the UK Fund for Women.

When a person calls they will be able to speak to someone from the Rights of Women charity.

Rights of Women senior legal officer Deeba Syed added: ‘This advice line’s purpose is to empower women to exercise their legal rights in the workplace.

‘By advising women about their legal options and increasing their understanding of equalities and discrimination law, we will be able to help them make informed choices about next steps, including how to navigate the legal system with confidence.’

The first trailer for Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of The Little Women is finally here – and it looks amazing.

Fans have finally been given a proper look at the star-studded cast in action and it’s safe to say the latest working of the classic novel is sure to get a lot of love from audiences and critics alike.

Lady Bird’s Saoirse Ronan (Jo), The Falling’s Florence Pugh (Amy), Harry Potter‘s Emma Watson (Meg) and Sharp Objects actress Eliza Scanlen (Beth) play the beloved March sisters.

While they are joined by the infallible Meryl Streep as Aunt March, Big Little Lies star Laura Dern and Marmee March and heart-throb Timothée Chalamet as Theodore Laurence aka Laurie.

Seeing as Saoirse and Timothee have previously worked with director Greta Gerwig in Lady Bird, the trailer confirms they’ve tapped into their magical rapport once again for this project.

The classic novel, written by Louisa May Alcott, was released in 1868 and has become one of the most loved books of all time.

Based in the civil war era, sisters Meg, Beth, Jo and Amy are seen growing up together in an all-female household.

In 1994, Winona Ryder, Christian Bale, Kirsten Dunst and Susan Sarandon starred in one of the many adaptations of the book that’s followed, and earned three Oscar nominations.

The BBC recently released a mini-series based on the books, and last year Lea Thompson started in a modern adaptation of the film.

While Katharine Hepburn starred in one of the first recreations of the book back in 1933.

The Little Women is out in cinemas from 27 December 2019.

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What better way to reinvent the classic tale of Little Women with a cast full of incredible actresses, and a woman director (Greta Gerwig).

Some of the biggest names in Hollywood are part of the 2019 adaptation, as well as a couple of up-and-coming ones that you should definitely keep an eye on.

The official trailer for the movie was released yesterday, with the film set to drop in the US on Christmas day.

So, although we have a fairly long time to wait until we can watch it in cinemas, it’s clear the hype is building to the festive season and some wholesome watching.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the cast of Little Women, and where you’ll have seen them before.

Saoirse Ronan – Jo March

Playing tomboy Jo in the movie is Gerwig-favourite Saoirse Ronan.

The Irish star is no stranger to period dramas, having got her big break as a teenager in Atonement alongside Keira Knightley and James McAvoy.

Further roles that propelled her to fame included in The Lovely Bones and Hanna, with the 25-year-old going on to win a Best Actress Golden Globe for Lady Bird two years ago.

More recently, she starred as Mary Queen of Scots in the 2018 film of the same name.

Emma Watson – Meg March

We first saw Emma as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter franchise, but she’s come a long way since then.

Making her way into meatier roles, she played an LA house robber in The Bling Ring, and a dreamy teen in Perks of Being a Wallflower.

As Belle in Beauty and the Beast in 2017, she then proved that she could go from serious to fantasy with no problems.

Florence Pugh – Amy March

English Florence Pugh recently wowed audiences in the Ari Aster horror flick, Midsommar. Her haunting performance was critically acclaimed, and likely burned onto the brains of everyone who watched it.

Previously, she has won awards for her portrayal as Katherine Lester in Lady Macbeth, and gained traction in John Le Carre adaptation The Little Drummer Girl on the BBC.

We expect bigger things to come for 23-year-old Florence, so keep an eye out.

Eliza Scanlen – Beth March

Like many of our favourite stars, Eliza had her acting debut on Aussie soap Home and Away.

Across the pond, however, her big break came on HBO drama Sharp Objects alongside Amy Adams.

Despite only just turning 20, Eliza has two major films as well as Little Women due to be released soon; Babyteeth and The Devil All the Time.

Timothée Chalamet – Theodore ‘Laurie’ Laurence

Most people recognose Timothée from coming-of-age flick Call Me By Your Name, but he’s been in a whole load of other bits before and since.

As well as working beside Saoirse Ronan in Lady Bird, he’s appeared in Interstellar and TV drama series, Homeland.

His role in Beautiful Boy landed him the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

Laura Dern – Marmee March

Laura Dern is a powerhouse in Hollywood, having earned four Golden Globe Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award, as well as being nominated for two Academy Awards.

Some of her most famous films include Jurassic Park, Citizen Sam, and Afterburn.

She’s a favourite of David Lynch, and has appeared in a number of his movies.

Meryl Streep – Aunt March

What hasn’t Meryl been in?

For a little recap, she’s been in  Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie’s Choice and The Iron Lady – all of which won her Oscars.

Streep’s Oscar-nominated roles include in Out of Africa, The Devil Wears Prada, Doubt (2008), Julie & Julia (2009). and TV series’ Angels in America and Big Little Lies’

Bob Odenkirk – Mr. March

Bob started as a writer on Saturday Night Live, but left to become a performer, becoming known for his role as lawyer Saul in Breaking Bad.

Viewers liked him so much that spin-off Better Call Saul was created, and he’s since been very busy.

Films he’s appeared in are The Disaster Artist, Longshot, and Incredibles 2.

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A new adaptation of Little Women is set to be released later this year, starring Saoirse Ronan and Emma Watson.

The original novel was first published in 1868 and it has gone on to become one of the most well-known books in American literature.

It won’t be the first time that the story has been adapted for a movie, in fact it has happened several times over the years.

Here is everything that you need to know about the previous Little Women films and when they were released.

What Little Women movie adaptations have there been?

There have been several adaptation of the novel for theatre, film and TV.

All together there have been eight movie adaptations of Louisa May Aclott’s book.

The first two were silent films released in 1917 and 1918, but there is no known copy of the original movie in 1917.

The next Little Women movie wasn’t produced until 1933, directed by George Cukor and starring Katharine Hepburn, who went on to appear in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and The Lion in Winter.

In 1949 the fourth version of the story was released by Merbyn LeRoy, which had June Allison in one of the leading roles.

She won a Golden Glove for best actress two years later for her part in Too Young to Kiss.

David Lowell Rich directed the fifth adaptation in 1978, which was released as two-part TV miniseries, starring Meredith Baxter Birney and Susan Dey.

More recently Gillian Armstrong released her own version of the story in 1994.

The film included Stranger Things actress Winona Ryder in one of the leading roles, which saw her receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

It also featured Gabriel Byrne as Meg March, Kirsten Dunst as Amy March and Christian Bale as Laurie.

In 2018 a modern version of the story was released with Sarah Davenpot and Allie Jennings, with Claire Niederpruem directing.

The 2019 Little Women movie is set to be the eighth film adaptation and it will star Saoirse Ronan as Jo, Emma Watson as Meg, Eliza Scanlen as Beth and Florence Pugh as Amy.

Greta Gerwig has written the screenplay and directed the new film, which is set to be released in cinemas in December 2019.

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With the trailer for the new adaptation of Little Women being released this week, fans are now patiently waiting for the classic to hit the cinema this Christmas.

The movie, based on a novel by the late author Louisa May Alcott, stars Saoirse Ronan (Jo), Emma Watson (Meg), Florence Pugh (Amy) and Eliza Scanlen (Beth) as the March sisters – and will be launched during the holiday season on 27 December, 2019.

If you can’t wait until then, don’t fret: this is the eighth time the popular book has been made into a movie, meaning there are plenty of other versions for you to enjoy.

There were two silent films released in 1917 and 1918, though there is no known copy of the first one, as well as one from 1933, which starred the screen legend, Katharine Hepburn.

In 1949, the fourth version was released by Merbyn LeRoy, followed by three more in recent years.

However, it’s the 1994 movie that stands out among all of the Little Women adaptions – but who was in it and where have you seen them before?

Jo March – Winona Ryder

Winona Ryder, 47, was already an established actress when she accepted the role of Jo March, with a break-out appearance in the cult movie Heathers in 1989, as well as Beetlejuice (1988) and Edward Scissorhands – where she was the female lead against Johnny Depp (1990).

She expertly portrays the sister who dreams of breaking free from the shackles placed upon her by society (women of that time were expected to simply marry and have babies), wanting to become a famous writer.

Since the movie came out, Winona has gone on to make even bigger films, including the psychological drama Girl, Interrupted (1999) with Hollywood star Angelina Jolie and the critically-acclaimed Black Swan (2010), which was based on the ballet, Swan Lake.

Meg March – Trini Alvarado

Trini Alvarado, 52, is among the lesser known actors in the 1994 film.

She’s appeared on stage as well as on the big screen, and her first movie was Rich Kids in 1979, when she was just 12 years old.

Since playing Meg, the timid sister who values good manners and just wants to find a nice man to settle down with, Trini has appeared as Dr Lucy Linskey in The Frighteners (1996) and Marie Alweather in Paulie (1998). She’s also done some work on TV.

Amy March – Kirsten Dunst

Amy March is the youngest sister. She’s the sassy child who dreams of being whisked off her feet by a wealthy man, but grows up to become a talented artist who eventually marries for love.

Though make no mistake, he’s still rich.

The character is played by Kirsten Dunst, 37, for the majority of the movie, but she hands over the part to Samantha Mathis (who plays Amy when she gets older) towards the end.

Kirsten was just 12 years old at the time, but went on to star in hit films such as Interview With A Vampire – which was released that same year – a film in which she had to kiss a 30-year-old Brad Pitt – and Jumanji (1995).

She successfully managed to navigate her childhood fame into a glittering Hollywood career and has appeared in The Virgin Suicides (1999), the Spider-Man trilogy (2002, 2004, 2007) and Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia (2011), to name a few.

Beth March – Claire Danes

Beth is part of the main cast but yet always seems to linger in the background. If the trailer is any indication, the portrayal of the character will continue in much the same tone for the 2019 version.

Quiet though she may be, Beth still made a big impression on viewers (especially given how things ended for her) and actress Claire Danes made a name for herself with the part.

Two years later, she starred opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo+Juliet, the movie adaption of William Shakespeare’s tragic love story.

Other hit movies the 40-year-old has appeared in include The Rainmaker (1997), Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) and Stardust (2007).

As for her current projects, she’s busy playing Carrie Mathison in Homeland – a gig she’s had since the show launched in 2011.

Mrs March – Susan Sarandon

The actress who plays Mrs March – the strong, intelligent feminist-before-her-time – really needs no introduction, but we’ll do one anyway.

Susan Sarandon is one of the biggest names in Hollywood; from cult movies such as Thelma & Louise (1991) to Dead Man Walking (1995) and the ultimate tear-jerker, Stepmom (1998), the actress has shown that she can do pretty much everything.

As of late, she’s ventured into comedy with The Banger Sisters (2002), Elizabethtown (2005) and Tammy (2014), and she’s considered one of the most influential actresses of her time.

Susan has plenty of accolades to her name, including an Oscar, a British Academy Film Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, as well as nine Golden Globe nominations.

Theodore ‘Laurie’ Laurence – Christian Bale

Laurie (Christian Bale) has a pivotal role in Little Women.

He starts off as the friendly neighbour who lives under the heavy expectations of his grandfather, then becomes infatuated with Jo and asks her to marry him.

When she denies him, he turns to women and alcohol for a few years before falling in love with Amy, whom he eventually marries.

The now 45-year-old actor has had an incredibly fruitful career and is best-known for his unnerving portrayal of the murderous Patrick Bateman in American Psycho (2000), as well as Bruce Banner, also known as Batman in Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012).

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Emma Watson and Tom Felton gave Harry Potter fans the best surprise this week, by reuniting to learn the guitar of all things.

It appears Emma, 29, recently flew out to meet Tom, 31, in South Africa where he was hard at work filming a new movie.

Making for a rather sweet moment, the besties are pictured sitting in their pyjamas playing the guitar with Tom giving the actress a one-on-one lesson.

‘Quick learner x,’ he captioned the heartwarming snap.

One excited fan compared their pairing to that of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in A Star Is Born, while another joked: ‘When do the tix come on sale? [sic].’

An avid Harry Potter fan even created a ship name for Tom and Emma’s Harry Potter characters Hermione and Draco – Dramione – so it would seem that Gryffindor and Slytherin are more than capable of getting along in real life after all.

Despite the students of Hogwarts parting ways on-screen eight years ago, Emma and Tom have maintained a close friendship since.

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In November, Emma shared a cool black and white video of her sharing a skateboard with Tom as he wheeled along a beachfront.

The Beauty and the Beast actress jokingly captioned the clip: ‘#TFToleratingmysubparskatingskillssince1999.’

While it’s clear the stars are just good pals right now, Emma previously admitted to having a crush on Tom in their childhood.

During an appearance on The Jonathan Ross show in : ‘Between the ages of 10 and 12, I had a really terrible crush on Tom Felton.

‘We love a bad guy and he was a few years older and he had a skateboard. And that just did it, really. He used to do tricks on it. He was so cool.’

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The first reactions to Little Women have come in and it looks like it’s going to be a strong contender for an Oscar.

Little Women may be coming out in December but some lucky people got to go to a special screening and it looks like the reactions are truly positive.

Journalists have taken to Twitter to praise the Lady Bird director Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott novel – which stars Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet, Florence Pugh and Meryl Streep – for being ‘faithful to source material’.

Erick Weber of Awards Ace tweeted: ‘First #LittleWomen reax is in, spoke with SAG Nominating Committee member who saw it tonight calling it “great”, praising Gerwig’s direction as “distinct in vision”, describing Saoirse Ronan’s performance as “fierce”, expects “numerous #Oscars nominations”.

‘Based on additional discussions with screening attendees, #LittleWomen sounds like a strong #Oscars Best Adapted Screenplay contender, many telling me Gerwig was faithful to source material but added her own unique twist on things, also Pugh & @RealChalamet’.

That’s enough to get us excited for its release in December.

‘LittleWomen is delightful, Saorise Ronan is at her best ever & while she doesn’t send any boys to death in a burning bear suit,’ user Jakob Kolness tweeted.

‘@Florence_Pugh makes Meryl Streep her b*tch. Greta Gerwig kicks ass behind the camera yet again. Emma Watson tries. Two bonnets up!’

What on earth do they mean by Emma Watson ‘tries’?

It looks like most of the praise goes to Saoirse, but many are also tied between Timothee and Midsommar’s breakout star Florence.

Little Women is an allegorical novel of leading a poverty-stricken life in Massachusetts in the 1860s.

With the four sister’s father fighting in the American Civil War, Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth are at home with their mother dealing with everyday adventures.

Kara Warner, writer for People magazine, tweeted: ‘Greta Gerwig’s @LittleWomen is wonderful. A loving, meticulously-crafted adaptation that exceeded my expectations.

‘[It was] heartfelt, moving and a terrific showcase for its extremely talented cast and beloved source material.’

Little Women will be released on 27 December in the UK and 25 December in the US.

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Emma Watson and Timothée Chalamet have joined the likes of Meryl Streep in a series of brand new Little Women posters.

Yes, the trio will be appearing in the upcoming movie, which is set to drop on our screens on Boxing Day this year.

And while we can’t wait for the highly anticipated hit, the latest pictures have got us slightly confused.

Introducing the star-studded cast as their new characters, the string of pictures are wonderfully bizarre, and we can’t help but love them.

Saoirse Ronan, who is taking on the role of Jo, can be seen running through the streets in a bright purple skirt.

And although she looks like she is having a blast, the 25-year-old is half cut out of the pic, an artistic decision to say the least.

Timothée, who is playing Laurie, can be seen posing on a hill in front of a forest, while his co-star Emma, who will be Meg, is channelling Hermione Granger as she’s sat reading a book.

In a slightly blurred snap, Florence Pugh can be seen dancing with a mystery man and is all done up as her character Amy.

While Meryl Streep, who is cast as Aunt March, is done up in funeral garb as she looks glum with a black veil pulled off over her hair.

The synopsis reads: ‘Writer-director Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) has crafted a Little Women that draws on both the classic novel and the writings of Louisa May Alcott, and unfolds as the author’s alter ego, Jo March, reflects back and forth on her fictional life.

‘In Gerwig’s take, the beloved story of the March sisters – four young women each determined to live life on her own terms – is both timeless and timely.

‘Portraying Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth March, the film stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, with Timothée Chalamet as their neighbour Laurie, Laura Dern as Marmee, and Meryl Streep as Aunt March.’

While the posters might leave us unsure of what to expect, it seems the trailer, which dropped earlier this year, has given fans a more in-depth look at the movie.

The classic novel, written by Louisa May Alcott, was released in 1868 and has become one of the most loved books of all time.

Based in the civil war era, sisters Meg, Beth, Jo and Amy are seen growing up together in an all-female household.

In 1994, Winona Ryder, Christian Bale, Kirsten Dunst and Susan Sarandon starred in one of the many adaptations of the book that’s followed, earning them three Oscar nominations.

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Piers Morgan isn’t having any of Emma Watson’s claims that she’s ‘self-partnered’, translation: single, and suggests that it’s just a way of saying she ‘can’t get a bloke’.

In a new interview with British Vogue magazine, the Harry Potter actress addressed her fears about turning 30 and not yet having children, describing her single status as ‘being self-partnered’.

There’s been a mixed reaction to the new term which Emma has coined and Piers, 54, is on the sceptical side of the debate.

‘Where do we get this rubbish from?’ he scoffed on Good Morning Britain.

He then claimed: ‘Self-partnering means you can’t get a bloke right?’

Charming.

Susanna Reid jumped to Emma’s defence and stated: ‘Emma Watson can have anyone she likes.’

Piers continued his rant: ‘Self-partnering. Consciously uncoupling, what does it all mean? You’re single. When you’re consciously uncoupled you’re getting divorced. You’re splitting up or you’re single. Why do we have to put a positive spin? Put negative spins on negatives.’

Gwyneth Paltrow probably has an answer to that.

The outspoken presenter added: ‘It’s like when people say we’re the closest of friends, we love each other dearly but we’re splitting up. Well why are you splitting up then? If you’re that close and you’re that loving, why are you splitting up.

‘I never understand the “we could not be closer”. Obviously you could be closer if you’re getting divorced.

‘You’ve got to deal with positives and negatives in a positive and negative way. Negatives happen in life, just stop trying to sugarcoat everything.’

Richard Arnold sympathised with Emma and admitted: ‘I was single at 30,’ while feigning crying.

The Beauty and the Beast actress admitted that while she initially freaked out about being single, she’s now fully embracing her own company.

She explained to Vogue: ‘I was like, ‘Why does everyone make such a big fuss about turning 30? This is not a big deal. Cut to 29, and I’m like, “Oh my God, I feel so stressed and anxious”.

‘And I realise it’s because there is suddenly this bloody influx of subliminal messaging around.’

She later added: ‘I never believed the whole “I’m happy single” spiel. I was like, “This is totally spiel”.

‘It took me a long time, but I’m very happy [being single]. I call it being self-partnered.’

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.

See Emma Watson’s full feature in the December issue of British Vogue available via digital download and newsstands on Friday 8th November.

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It’s pretty common to worry about being single when turning 30.

But Emma Watson is looking at singledom in a whole new light.

The 29-year-old has decided to give her relationship status a rebrand, saying she is ‘self-partnered’ rather than single.

‘Consciously uncoupling’ mastermind Gwyneth Paltrow would be proud.

The Harry Potter actress isn’t in a relationship coming up to her 30th birthday in April 2020, and resents the anxiety that is heaped on people reaching the milestone age.

Speaking to Vogue, Emma said: ‘I was like, “Why does everyone make such a big fuss about turning 30? This is not a big deal…” Cut to 29, and I’m like, “Oh my God, I feel so stressed and anxious”. And I realise it’s because there is suddenly this bloody influx of subliminal messaging around.

‘If you have not built a home, if you do not have a husband, if you do not have a baby, and you are turning 30, and you’re not in some incredibly secure, stable place in your career, or you’re still figuring things out… There’s just this incredible amount of anxiety.’

While it’s quite comforting to know that a multi-millionaire world famous actress and activist is worried about this stuff too, Emma – aka Hermione Granger – is now happy being alone.

The Little Women star said: ‘I never believed the whole “I’m happy single” spiel. I was like, “This is totally spiel”. It took me a long time, but I’m very happy [being single]. I call it being self-partnered.’

Emma has previously dated Will Adamowicz, Matthew Janney, Roberto Aguire, Brendan Wallace and Glee star Chord Overstreet, and was most recently linked to entrepreneur Cole Cook.

However, Piers Morgan reckons her ‘self-partnered’ label means she can’t get a date.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, the presenter said: ‘‘Where do we get this rubbish from? Self-partnering means you can’t get a bloke right?

‘Self-partnering. Consciously uncoupling, what does it all mean? You’re single. When you’re consciously uncoupled you’re getting divorced. You’re splitting up or you’re single. Why do we have to put a positive spin? Put negative spins on negatives.’

See Emma’s full interview in the December issue of British Vogue available via digital download and newsstands on Friday 8 November.

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Emma Watson is not in a relationship and she is happy about it.

Her comments, taken from an extract of an upcoming Vogue interview, have hit the headlines partly because she has decided to call herself ‘self-partnered’ and partly because she is admitting that she is fine about being single, which people still find hard to believe of any woman.

There is of course always the danger that she won’t be believed, that perhaps she is simply doing a PR job on her own life. Let’s not forget Jennifer Aniston. Forever cast as unlucky in love, it doesn’t matter how many times she says she is alright, there will always be headlines that shout that she is still single.

But I remain hopeful that Emma’s comments are part of a wider trend in single positivity. There definitely feels like there has been a shift in the zeitgeist in recent years.

Personally I went through a phase of feeling like a failure. Now, just like Emma, I feel confident enough to be open about my single status and to admit I actually quite like it.

I remember earlier this year sharing an article on social media about how single women are happier than coupled-up women, which was based on the work of Paul Dolan, a professor of behavioural science at the London School of Economics.

To have an expert confirm what I had begun to suspect was brilliantly validating. There are even studies which suggest that women who get divorced and don’t remarry tend to live longer than married women.

Even so, admitting out loud that I am pretty happy being single can feel like the ultimate rebellion, which is why I am cheering on Emma for doing just that.

From an incredibly young age it is drilled into us that the natural order of things is to fall in love, get married and have a baby. It’s a message that is shoved down children’s throats form day one – just think of all the books and films with this message.

Admitting out loud that I am pretty happy being single can feel like the ultimate rebellion, which is why I am cheering on Emma for doing just that.

Even in movies where the character is single, more often than not she has fallen in love by the time the credits begin.

Even Emma saying in her Vogue interview that she didn’t previously believe you could be single and happy goes to show what we’re up against.

I feel like I am pointing out the obvious when I say this, but real life is not like a fairytale. Those in relationships have to admit that not every day is filled with joy. There will be struggles and hard times and of course, there will also be brilliant and happy times.

If this is true for those in relationships, why is it so hard to believe the same can be true for those without a partner?

The fact remains that people do find it hard to believe and the pressure put on women to find someone – anyone – remains great. In the article mentioned above, Dolan says it’s the existing narrative that marriage and children are signs of success that results in stigma and could lead some single women to feel unhappy.

Perhaps this is why Emma has re-branded being single as being ‘self-partnered’. While I quite admire her for it, like Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin’s ‘conscious uncoupling’, I’m not sure it will actually catch on.

But it does feel like Emma’s comments have come at a great time for single people. There has been a rise in content for us, such as Catherine Gray’s brilliant book The Unexpected Joy Of Being Single. I do think that just like any stigma, it is only going to be broken if we can talk more openly about how being single really isn’t so bad.

For someone as high profile as Emma to come out with it can only be a good thing.

Aside from making other single women feel less alone and feel like they can actually enjoy their lives, I hope the shift will also help women trapped in unhappy and unhealthy relationships realise that there really are worse things than being single.

Nicola Slawson is the campaigns manager for Press Pad, which aims to solve the problem of journalism being so elite, and writes a newsletter for single women called The Single Supplement. 

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You may have seen this morning that Emma Watson has declared she has a new partner.

Drumroll for those who haven’t… It’s herself.

Yes, the Harry Potter actor has declared that she is single, but in a way that’s much more fun than conscious uncoupling. Instead, she claims her preferred relationship status is ‘self-partnered’.

The admission was part of an interview with British Vogue in which she was discussing her upcoming thirtieth birthday and the expectations placed on her as a result.

Speaking to Paris Lees, she said ‘If you have not built a home, if you do not have a husband, if you do not have a baby, and you are turning 30, and you’re not in some incredibly secure, stable place in your career, or you’re still figuring things out… There’s just this incredible amount of anxiety.’

Although Emma has been linked to people in the past – including Glee actor Chord Overstreet – this is probably the most candid she’s been when it comes to relationships.

She goes on to say, ‘I never believed the whole “I’m happy single” spiel. I was like, “This is totally spiel.” It took me a long time, but I’m very happy. I call it being self-partnered.’

But what makes being self-partnered, and how is it any different to being single?

Self-partnered; the new relationship status

If we look at what Emma is trying to say in this interview, it shows just why she feels the need to define a new cubby for herself outside of the world of ‘singledom’.

Pressures come from every angle for women as they get older, and it’s a lot more than your granny asking you why you haven’t got a boyfriend yet (although that it is still annoying).

The way that ‘single’ is talked about comes with an air of condolence. But not everybody does feel like that they’re inferior for being single – and those that do really shouldn’t.

Sometimes, when explaining to your smug married friends or your boss with five children (who obviously has a nanny, which is why they’re so keen on parenthood) it’s difficult to explain that, yes, you are happy without the trappings of sharing your life with another.

You don’t want to brag about the fact you got to spend all of this Sunday in bed with a bag of croissants and no distractions, and it comes across as unnecessarily simpering to say you’re glad you bought yourself a new handbag this month rather than a bumper pack of nappies.

Instead of inviting those pitying smiles and ‘it’ll work out for you some day’ platitudes, it appears that Emma wanted to find a new way to label herself; a way that shows she isn’t simply waiting for the right thing to come around, and is out enjoying life.

Despite the fact that some people seem to find it revolting that a person could be happy without a romantic partner, if we look at Emma’s life, with her multitude of friends, UN campaigns, shoots for the likes of Burberry and Lancôme, and award-winning acting career, you wonder why her love life is even something worth considering for a moment.

While us mere mortals may not have the same lavish lifestyles, the term self-partnered can help emphasis everything else going on for us that doesn’t happen to involve dating.

So, whether you’ve just got your degree, are smashing it at work, or have cultivated an absolute cracker of an allotment, you can take the focus and put it back onto that.

It’s perhaps a sad thing that anyone feels the need to justify being single with a new term. But it is heartening to see that even megastars feel the pressure and want to combat it.

That’s why I have a little challenge for you lot who are sick of the pity. Next time granny asks where your date is to a family dinner, tell her you’re actually self-partnered, pull out a hand mirror, and start a vigorous makeout session with it. That should work.

At least until Facebook update their relationship status settings.

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In the Harry Potter films, it was all about Ron and Hermione when it came to us shipping the Hogwarts lot.

But according to Rupert Grint, Ms Granger was more involved with a certain Slytherin than she was her best mate.

Grint, who played Ron Weasley in the franchise, has claimed that there was a ‘spark’ between co-stars Emma Watson and Tom Felton on set – and our inner Potterheads are screaming.

Emma, 29, and Tom, 32 – who played Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter respectively – have remained close since the franchise ended, and have shared a number of pictures together on social media, including one in August where Tom gave his friend a guitar lesson in South Africa.

And their former co-star has landed them in it by claiming there was a ‘playground romance’ between them in their teens.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Rupert, 31, said that he didn’t want to stir up any rumours… after he stirred up the rumours with a big ol’ wooden spoon in a cauldron.

When asked if he could ever see Emma and Tom together, the actor – who is starring in M Night Shyamalan’s new Apple TV+ series The Servant – said: ‘Yeah I could.

‘There was always something. There was a little bit of a spark.’

Grint, who is in a relationship with Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging actress Georgia Groome, added: ‘But we were kids. It was like any kind of playground romance’; also quipping that he himself was ‘spark-free’.

This comes after Tom praised Emma’s newly coined term ‘self-partnered’, after the Little Women actress rebranded her single status.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1WDOOaAiYJ/

Felton told Mail Online: ‘I’m in the same category, to be honest with you, quite happily self-partnered.’

However, he raised speculation that he could be ditching that label soon enough, as he went on to heap praise on the actress.

Tom – who split from long-term girlfriend Jade Gordon in 2016 – said: ‘It’s always nice to bump into her, see her at the beach, or over dinner or whatever.

‘She’s an incredibly smart and lovely young lady, so it’s always nice to bump into each other and slightly reminisce about old times but also about looking forward to the future.’

While the actors may just be close friends, Emma previously admitted to fancying the actor when they were younger.

Speaking on The Jonathan Ross Show back in 2012, the activist said: ‘Between the ages of 10 and 12, I had a really terrible crush on Tom Felton.

‘We love a bad guy and he was a few years older and he had a skateboard. And that just did it, really. He used to do tricks on it. He was so cool.’

Wingardium Leviosa our hearts, why don’t you.

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Tom Felton has shared his love for Emma Watson, amid claims from their Harry Potter co-star Rupert Grint he saw a ‘spark’ between the two.

Growing up with Emma – as well as Rupert and Daniel Radcliffe – Tom spoke of going through ‘something pretty unique together’, as in becoming worldwide famous before they hit puberty.

Now adults and out of the franchise, Tom, 32, has shared his love for Emma, 29, who he reveals lives only around the corner from him.

Not doing much to dispel any dating rumours there, mate.

Still, it’s clear the beloved friendship the pair shares, as Tom told Metro.co.uk about the close living quarters of all his Harry Potter co-stars, who have remained firm friends outside the movies.

‘Emma’s got a place around the corner from me in LA, as does Bonnie [Wright, who played Ginny Weasley], I think Matt Lewis [who played Neville Longbottom] lived there for a while,’ Tom, who is starring as Laertes in Ophelia, explained.

‘We’re growing up slowly but surely. I couldn’t say enough good words about any of them.’

He continued: ‘Rupert’s such a down to earth guy despite all the fandom and whatnot. Daniel, his work ethic is incredible. He’s a funny, witty guy…

‘Emma’s Emma, she’s a unique, beautiful soul. It’s always nice to bump into one another.’

When suggested Emma will rule the world one day, Tom replied: ‘I doubt it not.’

It comes after Rupert’s admission he saw something between the two actors during their time working on the whimsical films.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Rupert, 31, said that he didn’t want to stir up any rumours… after he stirred up the rumours big time.

When asked if he could ever see Emma and Tom together, the actor said: ‘Yeah I could.

‘There was always something. There was a little bit of a spark.’

While Emma recently insisted she was ‘self-partnered’ and Tom did the same, he seems pretty content with his work/life balance at the moment. Hardly scrounging around for a job and worth a few squillion dollars from his magical HP days, he laughed: ‘I won’t lie, I’ve got it pretty good, I’m pretty lucky.’

Speaking about the undying love of Harry Potter and how we’re still obsessed with The Boy Who Lived, the Draco Malfoy actor insisted he was happy to chat about the film that launched his international career until the dementors come home.

‘Oh he’s a sweetheart, he’s a soft little sweetheart,’ Tom said of Draco. ‘He’s got sh*t parents, I’ll tell you that much.’

He continued: ‘It’s nice to look back and realise how lucky we are,’ before adding someone once asked him how he was going to ‘shake the burden’ of Harry Potter.

‘Are you kidding me? I’m happy to talk about this ’til the day I die, I’m very proud of it,’ he mused.

‘It’s not like I’m carrying him around with me.’

Ophelia is in cinemas Friday.

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These pictures show the quirky 10-bedroom house a couple who won £105m could buy in their home town after promising to ‘stay local’.

Builder and shop assistant Steve and Lenka Thomson were revealed as the lucky winners of the nine-figure Euromillion jackpot today.

The couple live in a £120,000 three bedroom terrace in Selsey, West Sussex, and said they plan to upsize so their three young children can have a room of their own.

Their new found fortune means they could easily afford a property in Kensington and Chelsea, the UK’s most expensive postcode.

But the pair say they want to stay local before eventually building their own home.

Fortunately there are plenty of sizeable houses on the market in their area.

The most expensive one costs £1.2m and is complete with 10 bedrooms and an indoor and outdoor swimming pool.

The pad, which has been on sale since January 16 this year,  fronts Selsey Beach with panoramic views of the sea.

According to its listing on right move, the four storey property also boasts a sun room, two large reception rooms, a banquet hall, an orangery and a bathroom per floor.

The home was built by the current owner to their own specification about 15 years ago.

Pictures from the 7621sqft  property suggests the current vendor had a unique taste.

While it appears modern from the outside, the indoors is reminiscent of an ancient castle.

The colour palette is red and brown with features including floor to ceiling doors and exposed brick.

One bathroom has velvet flooring while another has a castle-like window painted on the wall.

Mr and Mrs Thomson are wealthier than celebrities including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Ronnie Wood after their win.

Mr Thomson, who has been playing the lottery regularly for 25 years, has promised to help the local community and complete all his outstanding jobs before Christmas.

While he is still in shock about the win, his children have been quick to get their requests in.

His 10-year-old son asked for a Telsa while his 8-year-old daughter wants a pink iphone.

But the most important thing the couple wish to provide is a house big enough for everyone, as their 8 and 15-year-old sons currently share a room.

Speaking about his win today Mr Thomson said: ‘To be able to give our children a bedroom each is a big thing, so we have been looking for a house.

‘We will stay locally but somewhere with some space. I would like to build our own place eventually but we’ve been looking at houses online for now. We will also support our families by buying them houses.’

Claire Foy has been spotted looking as regal as ever as she rocked up to the launch of the 2020 Pirelli Calendar, Looking For Juliet.

She’s definitely still a queen to us.

The star, who stole everyone’s hearts as Queen Elizabeth II in the first two seasons of The Crown, looked stunning as she rocked a gold number to the launch.

Whoopi Goldberg, Mia Goth, and Yara Shahidi were also among the stars celebrating the launch, with the calendar featuring the likes of Kristen Stewart, Emma Watson, singer Chris Lee, Spanish musician Rosalia, transgender and non-binary star Indya Moore and Franco-Italian artist Stella Roversi.

Shot in Paris and Verona in May, by Paolo Roversi, the stars have put their own spin on Juliet from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and it’s safe to say they’ve done it with style.

Kristen chose an androgynous look, rocking leather as she lounged on a table reading for her interpretation, while Claire wore feathers and went for a more traditional look with a bejewelled head crown.

The project aims to ‘take its cue from the Shakespearean drama and the intersection of love, strength, youth and beauty embodied by its female protagonist’.

In a behind the scenes video, Kristen previously said she is a ‘huge Juliet advocate’ as the fictional young woman was ‘a baller’.

‘I think to give yourself to someone fully is the strongest thing you can do. I am a huge Juliet advocate. I think she is a baller. There are Juliets absolutely everywhere, and also I think I am Romeo, I am Juliet,’ she said.

Whoopi also starred last year, when Edward Enniful took charge and produced a stunning Alice in Wonderland themed calendar, featuring only black stars.

‘Alice has been told so many times,’ photographer Tim Walker said. ‘And I think I wanted to go back to the genesis of the imagination behind Lewis Carroll so that you could tell it from the very beginning again. I wanted to find a different and original angle.’

Check out more snaps from the 2020 calendar below: 

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This week Pirelli unveiled its 2020 calendar and in keeping with the last few years of the calendar’s approach, it is an altogether more ‘artistic’ affair than its origins.

Historically an eroticised collection of images of nude and semi-nude women – an annual round up of the male gaze, as it were – the Pirelli Calendar has been increasingly progressive since Annie Leibovitz photographed women of a range of ages in 2016.

This year’s Looking For Juliet theme calendar follows suit by featuring celebrities well known for speaking out on women’s rights: UN Goodwill Women Ambassador Emma Watson; activist Yara Shahidi and Kristen Stewart.

Yet what strikes me as I look at the pictures (largely of celebrities with politics and ideas I admire, I should add), is that they are mostly clothed. This calendar is telling us that in order to make something progressive, non-exploitative and feminist, we need to cover women up.

It’s easier, it seems, than attempting to find a way to photograph nude women in a light that isn’t sexual, that disrupts the male gaze and says that these women exist in this moment for themselves and for no one else.      

Society is still clearly a way off being able to separate female nudity and eroticism. We have not yet found a way to effectively separate female bodies from sex.

Any state of feminine undress seems to immediately have an implied level of sexuality. We see this in the Instagram nipple ban, in the hysteria surrounding women breastfeeding in public, in the enforcement of archaic rules regarding dressing standards for girls at schools.

Many women’s bodies are the givers of life and sustenance, the place from where we all come – a celebration of the female form should be a celebration of life itself.

Nudity can be a bold, strong statement, especially for women whose bodies are, and have always been, a battleground for opinion and politics. Pirelli didn’t need to abandon naked images of women, they needed to reimagine it in a new way that shows nudity is a symbol of emancipation and empowerment.

This also involves showing a greater range of nudity, because as progressive as Pirelli might believe this year’s calendar to be, it’s important to remember that what we’re seeing here is a very small slither of the diversity of female bodies and experience.

It is still only uplifting one very particular version of the female body and so, by omission, is suggesting that this is the only desirable body type. 

The calendar is already being celebrated as a work of art and of course, pop culture can have an impact – Warhol taught us that. But fat bodies, scarred bodies, old bodies: this is when art begins to change lives, to challenge the status quo and to really address this idea of women as nothing more than erotic ornamentation.

I’m not a fool – I know that this is never going to be what Pirelli does with its calendar.

The Pirelli Calendar is something you give to a client as a Christmas gift, it was never going to be at the forefront of dismantling the patriarchy and challenging beauty standards (more’s the pity).

And that’s OK – because there are other incredible artists in the world creating that art that we so desperately need to see, celebrating all the rich diversity of bodies we find in the world.  

But whilst shrugging off the history of nudity in its calendars, Pirelli has forgotten: naked doesn’t need to be sexy.

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Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlan and other cast members of Little Women stepped out on the red carpet for the New York City premiere last night.

The Oscar-tipped movie by Lady Bird director Greta Gerwig also stars the likes of Laura Dern and Timothee Chalamet.

The latest version of Louisa May Alcott’s classic American novel details the coming of age of four sisters in Massachusetts, America in the 19th century.

Little Women was originally published in two volumes 1868 and 1869, and has been adapted for the screen many times since – most famously in 1994, starring Winona Ryder.

But with all the rave reviews the new movie has been getting, we truly can’t wait to see it!

Speaking about how she came to direct the project – which also features multiple Oscar-winner Meryl Streep – Greta recently told TIME: ‘When I heard they were interested in making it, I said to my agent, “You have to get me a meeting because I have to make this movie.”

‘I had not made Lady Bird yet. And he said, “I don’t think they’re ever going to hire you for this.” And I said, “Well, they have to.”

‘Then I was able to go talk with them about my ideas, and they did hire me to write it, and it was after Lady Bird had come out that I heard that they would like me to direct it, and did I want to do it?

‘And I kind of had that—”Would I? I’ve been waiting 30 years!”’

Good for you, Greta!

Little Women hits UK cinema screens on Boxing Day.

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