From UN ambassadors and Broadway stars, to LGBTQ activists and Disney princesses, it is pretty clear that many a Hogwarts alum have been keeping busy since the defeat of You-Know-Who. Ron’s little sister, and the youngest Weasley in The Burrow, Ginny, is no exception to this account.
Bonnie Wright has come a long way since her wizarding days. Like her Harry Potter co-star, Emma Watson, Wright is using her platform to fight for causes that matter. The 27-year-old actress, producer, director, and environmentalist has not only started her own production company but she also serves as an ambassador for and supporter of Greenpeace and Lumos, JK Rowling’s organisation, respectively. On pursuing filmmaking, Wright says, “My love of storytelling and character took hold of me as a young actor, listening to the words and ideas of renowned directors. I was fascinated with just how I could use my voice, my reactions and expressions to bring their vision to life. Intrigued too by the artistry of everything that is created before an actor steps on set.”
On pursuing directing, Wright says, “I want to make films which make the most fleeting moments and intimately felt emotions universal rather than lonely; the points in life where you think ‘maybe I’m the only one thinking this?’”. Wright’s most recent directing work is Medusa’s Ankles and is based on the short story by A S Byatt. The short film was produced by her production company, Bon Bon Lumière, and stars none other than Jason Isaacs, Lucius Malfoy himself.
Largely advocating for the conservation of the oceans, Wright has been fishing for plastic with Greenpeace, and more recently visited representatives at Coca-Cola, imploring them to set new sustainability standards and incorporate more recycled materials in their bottles. It is pretty clear where Wright stands in the single-use plastics debate. Over on her Instagram, she recently shared an invitation to a Plastic-Free Picnic, hosted by herself and Greenpeace USA, which she described as “a day to come together to break bread and our reliance on single-use plastics”. Not only is this a great way to build momentum for a good cause, but it encourages the idea that making a change is about both individual effort and collaboration. In an age wherein the core meaning and motivation behind a cause can so often be lost in a hashtag or sponsored post, it is wonderful to know that we have women like Bonnie Wright to look to. Women like Wright, who create a space in which learning can take place (her Instagram stories are amazing) and whose values are routinely reflected in her online presence, play a vital role in spreading awareness of salient issues as well as understanding them.
Wright’s continuous advocacy for plastic and oil-free oceans is a perfect example of using one’s voice and platform for the greater good. There’s no doubt that if Ginny, Hermione and the rest of Dumbledore’s Army were to team up again, the world would be a better, brighter and cleaner place. When that day comes, I think a collective Reparo should do the trick.