Emma Watson just received some major shade from the last ‘Wicked’ culprits you’d expect

Emma Watson may have gotten rich and famous from a magical franchise, but now the stars of Wicked — and a couple of stars from other major movie musicals — are questioning her inclusion in one of the most memorable movies of her career.

OK, so these aren’t the real stars of Wicked, the musical currently stealing hearts, inspiring sing-alongs, and crushing the box office (and also getting some well-deserved award nominations). But they still have a bold — and some would say correct — opinion.

X user @DisneyScoopGuy posted a hilarious video of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s Wicked dolls commenting on Watson’s turn as Belle in Disney’s 2017 live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. They were joined by an Ariel doll from Halle Bailey’s live-action The Little Mermaid and a Cinderella doll from Brandy’s 1997’s Cinderella movie. The caption reads, “Everyone celebrating that they casted real singers in musical movies.”

The Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo dolls know the truth: they’re accomplished, celebrated singers and… Watson isn’t. Sorry! She brought the smart and determined Hermione Granger to life and Harry Potter fans will always love her for that, but she isn’t a trained singer, and there’s just no getting around that fact. Prior to playing Elphaba, Erivo starred in The Color Purple on Broadway along with other musicals including The Last Five Years. She also released her album Ch. 1 Vs. 1 in 2021. Grande has released seven albums, won two Grammy awards, and impressed everyone with her once-in-a-lifetime vocal range. As for Bailey and Brandy — they are accomplished singers in their own right, and one peek at their respective movies will tell you all you need to know about their vocal abilities.

Imagine the backlash if the Wicked movie adaptation had cast people who couldn’t handle the fan-favorite songs! It’s too devastating to even think about, but thankfully, that nightmare didn’t come true.

Watson said she felt the pressure of starring in Beauty and the Beast in a 2017 appearance on Good Morning America: “I really felt the weight of that.” She said at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles “I’ve always loved singing, and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” but audiences weren’t sold on her voice. There are more than a few Reddit threads discussing how her voice sounds in the movie.

Watson said she liked the “challenge” of singing in a film and told MTV she was scared to let three people hear her voice, let alone hundreds. No one would begrudge her for wanting to have an interesting career and not just star in another popular franchise. She’s the type of celebrity who legitimately dislikes being a celebrity and has chosen her post-Harry Potter movies carefully after studying English lit at Brown University. But this funny video brings up a good point: It’s better to give these types of roles to singers who can act (or actors who can legitimately sing). Everyone has their weaknesses and their strengths and not everyone has both of these creative skills. There is so much talent in Hollywood and only so many parts to go around, and it’s the chance of a lifetime for someone to be cast in a project like the live-action Beauty and the Beast.

Watson is absolutely a talented star, and she was particularly memorable as smart teenager Sam in the 2012 adaptation of Stephen Chbosky’s YA novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower. But the consensus is that she might not have been the best choice as Belle. So, let’s thank these Wicked dolls for a good laugh… and send them some good vibes because they’ve been through a lot.