Alan Rickman passed away from cancer earlier today, and his Harry Potter family has been releasing statements remembering him as an actor, friend, mentor, and inspiration.
Emma Watson tweeted a picture of Rickman with a quote from the late actor: "There is nothing wrong with a man being a feminist, I think it is to our mutual advantage."
#alanrickman pic.twitter.com/4WXwnoUtM7
— Emma Watson (@EmWatson) January 14, 2016A noble sentiment from a noble public figure.
Yet, some outspoken Twitter users are criticizing the actress for supposedly turning a memorial of Rickman into a self-serving crusade to bring attention to Watson's status as a feminist leader. The tweets quickly got nasty.
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@EmWatson don't talk about feminist right now, we don't give a fuck. a man died and you're just talking about him being a feminist Emma?
— madie (@olddirtyzeeko) January 14, 2016Emma, you are a repugnant human being using his death to push your agenda. Go fuck yourself, twat. https://t.co/FDSXXoSb4Y
— Craig Ray (@caustinray72) January 14, 2016So @EmWatson using Alan Rickman's death to further her agenda. Why not surprised? Fucking classless bitch.
— UmarJawed (@MUJawed) January 14, 2016Using someone's death to advance your own agenda... why? https://t.co/7Dpvk76s1j
— Iñaqui (@inaquii) January 14, 2016But, what the users failed to notice is that Watson has tweeted numerous additional messages of commemoration in honor of the late actor.
#AlanRickman pic.twitter.com/e7Pyubd8qn
— Emma Watson (@EmWatson) January 14, 2016#AlanRickman pic.twitter.com/NFyKKsVhpJ
— Emma Watson (@EmWatson) January 14, 2016#AlanRickman pic.twitter.com/fwMvp0lmiX
— Emma Watson (@EmWatson) January 14, 2016None of her other missives about the actor make mention of feminism. Although, even if they did, the problem would not lie with Watson, but with the people misinterpreting her message. In fact, actress Emma Thompson, who played Rickman's wife in Love Actually, remembered Rickman in the same progressive light.
Read Emma Thompson's heartfelt statement on the late Alan Rickman https://t.co/TzysWzOCvI pic.twitter.com/hB5jZYTBzJ
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) January 14, 2016