Ever since she graced our screens at the tender age of 11-years-old as Hogwarts resident Muggle, Hermoine Grainger, and went on to champion education, feminism and activism, Emma Watson has long been our number one role model.

That's not to mention her friendships with Justin Trudeau and American feminist journalist, Gloria Steinem – who she invited to an advance screening of Beauty and the Beast for her feminist stamp of approval – her work with the UN Women's HeForShe campaign for gender equality, and encouragement during the ELLE Style Awards – during which she won the ELLE Woman of the Year award – to use our voices to promote equality.

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However, the title 'role model' isn't a badge of honour the ELLE March cover star holds lightly.

In a recent interview with actress Jessica Chastain for the latest issue of Interview, the 27-year-old explains she's constantly worried of letting people down.

'When people call me a role model it puts the fear of god into me, because I feel like I'm destined to fail,' she admitted.

And it's not hard to see why.

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Over the years, the French-born star has spoken openly about the gender pay gap, inequality, why men dislike seeing female leads on screen, campus sexual assault and has been ludicrously called a 'bad feminist' for having her breasts on show in the March Vanity Fair cover.

When people call me a role model it puts the fear of god into me, because I feel like I'm destined to fail.

At the time, Watson told Reuters: 'Feminism is about giving women choice, feminism is not a stick with which to beat other women with, it's about freedom, it's about liberation, it's about equality. I don't really know what my tits have to do with it.'

Hear hear.

So, it's not surprising The Circle actress is wary when it comes to being a role model for women around the world.

However, during the interview Chastain told Watson, 'you can teach people that our failures are our greatest gifts in life'.

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Of course, Watson is as perfectly imperfect like the rest of us, but she's leading the path for women to unapologetically make mistakes, fight for their beliefs and keep working tirelessly to achieve their goals.

Sounds like a pretty good role model, to us.

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Katie O'Malley
Site Director

Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.