Emma Watson Compares Taylor Swift to Jo March in “Little Women”

“It’s about believing in yourself and knowing your worth and owning your worth.”

There’s no doubt that Little Women, with its complex female protagonists, has captivated readers since Louisa May Alcott first wrote the iconic novel in 1868. And with the release of Greta Gerwig’s 2019 film adaptation, audiences have gotten another chance to experience the story’s powerful messages and themes — some of which can be applied to life today.

Take, for example, the climatic moment when Jo March (portrayed in the film by Saoirse Ronan) advocates for ownership over the copyrights to her novel. According to Emma Watson (who plays Jo’s sister, Meg), that conflict is strikingly similar to Taylor Swift’s battle over her own music.

In an interview with Variety, Emma further explained: “It’s about believing in yourself and knowing your worth and owning your worth. Right now, the Taylor Swift situation is a great example of…you’re young and you’re talented and someone wants to buy your work, but having ownership at the end of the day is super, super important because you don’t know what someone’s going to decide to do with that.”

Emma, who actually relates most to Jo of all the March sisters, went on to say that people often undervalue the importance of ownership. “You know when you play Monopoly and you have a decision and you want to own something or get cash fast?” she posited during her Variety interview. “The way to win Monopoly, everyone, is to own stuff. I’m just saying.”

The actor certainly has a point. Jo's situation in Little Women serves as a reminder to advocate for yourself and use your voice to stand up for what you believe in. And while Jo’s story might have ended, both on page and screen, Taylor is still vocal about Scooter Braun’s acquisition of her former record label, Big Machine Label Group. Earlier this month while accepting her award for Billboard's Woman of the Decade, Taylor claimed that the acquisition “happened to me without my approval, consultation or consent,” adding: “The definition of toxic male privilege in our industry is people saying, ‘But he’s always been nice to me’ when I’m raising valid concerns about artists and their rights to own their music. Of course he’s nice to people in this room, you have something he needs.”

Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out:

Watch Now: Teen Vogue Video.

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue