Emma Watson Reveals Nervousness Over U.N. Feminism Speech, Discusses Channeling Fame Into Activism

Emma Watson made quite a media splash in September when she made a speech on the importance of understanding and supporting feminism to the U.N.

The 24-year-old "Harry Potter" actress revealed in an interview for Elle U.K.'s December Feminism Issue that she was nervous to address the international crowd that day. However, she remains determined to spread her message of equality. 

"I was very nervous," the actress told the magazine in reference to her speech at the U.N. "It wasn't an easy thing for me to do. It felt like, 'Am I going to have lunch with these people, or am I going to be eaten? Am I the lunch?'"

Watson, who was named a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador this summer, launched the "He for She" campaign during her speech, which encourages men around the world to support equality for women in the workplace as well as in society in general.

The actress, who graduated from Brown university earlier this year, explained in her interview with Elle U.K. that her message has nothing to do with alienating men.  

"Feminism is not here to dictate to you. It's not prescriptive, it's not dogmatic," she said. "All we are here to do is give you a choice. If you want to run for President, you can. If you don't, that's wonderful, too."

"I'm lucky I was raised to believe that my opinion at the dinner table was valuable," she added. "My mum and I spoke as loudly as my brothers."

In her U.N. speech, Watson addressed the issue of properly defining feminism as well. 

"The more I've spoken about feminism, the more I have realized that fighting for women's rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating," she said in her address. "If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that this has to stop."

The young actress also admits that stepping into the spotlight hasn't been easy, but she is willing to face the public in order to stand up for her beliefs and the rights of others.

"Fame is not something I have always felt comfortable with; I have really grappled with it emotionally. And, in a funny way, doing this is my way of making sense of the fame, of using it," said Watson. "I have found a way to channel it towards something else, which makes it so much more manageable for me. And this is something I really believe in."