Alcohol brands seem to be causing celebrities a lot of trouble these days. Just one month after fans and critics alike called Jennifer Lopez “fake” for launching her own alcohol brand despite publicly telling fans that she doesn’t drink (and despite her husband being a recovering alcoholic!) Emma Watson and Brad Pitt appear to have caused quite a stir too.
The Harry Potter alum, 33, a self-confessed feminist who was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women in 2014, has been slammed by fans for promoting the 59-year-old Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood actor’s gin company despite knowing about his ex-wife Angelina Jolie’s past domestic abuse allegations against him. Brad’s company, The Gardener, is due to launch fully in September this year, but Emma has already come under fire and has been called “a hypocrite” for seemingly endorsing the brand after Jolie, 47, said that he “physically and verbally assaulted” her and their children when they were aboard a plane.
Emma Watson Endorses Brad Pitt's Gin Company
When it comes to alcohol brands, it seems like there are enough to go around without celebrities stepping on each other's toes, which is why they don’t seem to have too much of a problem promoting each other's. Friendly and healthy competition, and all!
The Bullet Train star unveiled his gin company at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday, May 16th, although as we previously mentioned, it isn’t due to officially launch until September this year. The Beauty and the Beast actress also has her own gin company called Renais, made in collaboration with her brother Alex Watson, and officially launched it at the end of last month.
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Perhaps Emma and her brother's gin company is already doing really well, which is why she wasn’t threatened by Brad's gin company on social media. Her public support happened after The Gardener’s official Instagram account posted a photo of Brad and his partner with a bottle of The Gardener Gin, with the caption: "Conceived by Brad Pitt and the Famille Perrin, The Gardener is a quest for perfection dreamed up by friends who share a love for the French Riviera."
Emma took to her own Instagram account to write: "@thegardener_gin Welcome from Chablis Brad!" followed by a yellow heart emoji. She added: "Do you also have an annoying younger brother who’s obsessed with niche beverages? @alex.s.watson," in reference to her younger brother and gin partner. Keen to not miss out on the playful social media exchange, Alex Watson then jokingly added, "First rule of French gin club is: you DO tell everyone about French gin club," followed by a crying laughing emoji, which is of course in reference to the famous Fight Club line.
Emma Watson Criticized On Social Media
However, not everyone found their social media exchange funny or even appropriate, as many people took to Reddit to slam the Little Women actress. Watson has worked tirelessly for women through her HeForShe campaign over the years, and regularly draws attention to social issues on her own social media, which is why her fans were both confused and disappointed with her promotion of Pitt's brand given some of the allegations that have been made against him. Pitt has reportedly denied any wrongdoing, but that didn’t stop the social media backlash!
"Are there any women in Hollywood with a backbone to stand up for their fellow women? I’m so tired," one Reddit user commented, to which one replied, "She contributed with an essay to a feminist book I read last year. Kind of gross to then see this."
"She’s the worst of the White Hollywood Feminists," said another Reddit user, while another disappointed fan said: "A 'feminist' supporting a domestic abuser." "She calls herself the biggest feminist and makes herself the face of feminism and then goes out and supports a dirtbag abuser," criticized another user, adding, "What a [expletive] hypocrite."
Emma Watson giving Brad Pitt a shout-out on Instagram. by u/smashing_aisling in Fauxmoi
Another Reddit user said her actions were "disappointing," which many other users echoed in their own comments. "How disappointing. The lesson that Emma Watson leaves us is: 'I'm a feminist yes, but if there's money in the middle... not so much,'" wrote another.
Someone else commented: "Collaborating with/promoting with a man who has been credibly accused of domestic abuse as the United Nations Women Goodwill Ambassador since 2014 is definitely a huge pivot from how she has presented herself." "It’s scary how they use feminism for their own personal brand, but they don’t give a two-second thought when it comes to siding with questionable men," another user wrote.
