

Emma Watson: Oh, I felt so emotional. That was so nice of you, Leslie. Thank you for being here tonight and saying all those nice things about me. Thank you to ELLE for presenting me with this award. It’s been a very big year for me, in a number of ways, and to know that you appreciate the new work I’m doing really means a lot to me. So first, I hope it’s okay, but I wanted to thank a few of the women from my ‘hood.’ Do you see what I did there? Women in ‘Hollywood’ … no? It was bad? (laughs) It was really bad. I’m sorry. I’ll stop doing that. I’m not funny.
First I want to thank my consigliere. You know who you are. There is no way that the work I have done in the last three years would be possible without you. You’ve moved me into college rooms. (starts tearing up) This is so embarrassing, I’m sorry. You’ve moved me into college dorm rooms. You’ve traveled everywhere with me from Manhattan to Marrakesh. You’ve put double-sided tape all over my body to try and protect some of my modesty. You’ve nursed me when I’ve been sick. And you’ve pulled a few triggers. Without you I would not be here tonight, so thank you.
I want to thank [Perks director] Steve Chobosky – my director, my mentor and my friend. When he made me put on that corset and do that crazy dance, and strap me to the back of that pickup truck, you really set me free. At first I thought I wanted to make your film because it would be an awesome movie, but my intentions were much more selfish than that. I, Emma, wanted to be part of the club that you created through your writing. I wanted to be loved for myself –for my innate “Emma-ness.” Thank you for believing in me as an actress, and for making me want to be one. Thank you for letting me know that I was capable of things.
Thank you to my agent, Esther Chang, for your exquisite taste, your sharp brain and for just being a decent person. Thank you to my publicist, Luke Windsor, for keeping my soul intact. Thank you to Katie McLean, at home, for making stuff happen. Thank you to my friends for being my family and for loving me ‘for’ and not ‘in spite of’ my many faults – and for being my real life.
Thank you to all the women who gave me something to shoot at. There are so many parts of our culture that don’t celebrate ‘womenliness’ – the things that make us different – and I thank the women that have given me the courage recently to embrace and celebrate those things. I am thankful and excited to be working in this crazy town that we call Hollywood. So thank you for having me here tonight. It’s really such an honor to be among you. Thank you.
