OK, so if you didn’t already love Emma Watson for her dazzling acting skills, her powerful stance on feminism as UN Women’s Goodwill Ambassador and her all round super-humanness, it turns out she can spit out a good beat as well.
The Harry Potter actor was recently put in the same room as hugely talented composer and freestyle rapper Lin-Manuel Miranda – the man behind hit musical Hamilton – and the pair teamed up for a super fun and hilarious feminist jam session.
On International Women’s Day, Watson and Miranda sat down to talk about He For She, the gender equality campaign Watson has helped to head up since 2014, and somewhere along the line they decided that a musical tribute would be the best way to promote the cause. And we’re glad they did.
[ 10 Reasons Why Emma Watson Is the New Feminist Icon ]
“You’re an amazing freestyler,” Watson begins. To this Miranda responds, “and you’re an amazing beatboxer, this is great.”
“He’s lying,” Watson whispers but we already know we’re in for a treat.
What ensues is one of the best things that has ever happened. Ever. Watson is the perfect balance of charming, slightly embarrassed and unerringly committed to her role as human metronome, while Miranda spits out some truly enlightened lines, totally off the cuff. “Women are half of the people on Earth / And yes, they should’ve been equal since birth.”
So many thumbs up right now it’s not even funny.
Emma Watson has been in the spotlight championing feminism since giving an impassioned speech at the launch of He For She in September 2014 and has been respected and admired for her stance on the issue ever since.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, a Tony and Grammy award-winning musician and self-professed feminist, is best-known for writing broadway musicals In The Heights and Hamilton. In their International Women’s Day interview he and Watson also treat us to a sorting hat ceremony in which they sort favourite Hamilton characters into Hogwarts houses, which you can watch below.
You’re welcome.
Emma Watson, Drop The BeatAnd here's a SHORT clip of Emma Watson beatboxing while I freestyle about #HeForShe, if you only have 3 minutes. This was so fun.
Posted by Lin-Manuel Miranda on Thursday, 17 March 2016
Sorting Hamilton into Hogwarts with Emma WatsonI talked to Emma Watson for #HeforShe, but not before sorting Hamilton the Musical characters into Hogwarts houses. Full interview coming up later today!
Posted by Lin-Manuel Miranda on Thursday, 17 March 2016
