Emma Watson on Vogue UK Cover: 'Harry Potter' Star Opens Up About Split from Matthew Janey, Staying Silent Yet Strong

Emma Watson
Actress Emma Watson at the Tribeca Film Festival |

Landing the cover of the September 2015 issue, Vogue UK refers to Emma Watson as the "voice of a generation.' However, the "Harry Potter' star found out that, towards the last days of her relationship with Matthew Janney, she needed to stay silent yet strong.

As Watson sat down for an interview with the magazine, which features the 25-year-old actress in a white and gold Stella McCartney dress on the cover, she recalled the time when she made the decision to break up with Janney in December 2014, describing the circumstances as a "horrendous" time.

The UN Goodwill Ambassador revealed that, rather than spending her time on typical breakup goings-on, she focused on a weeklong vow of silence.

"I felt really uncomfortable," she said about her breakup with the Oxford rugby star. "Even before my relationship ended, I went on a silent retreat, because I really wanted to figure out how to be at home with myself."

The "Bling Ring' star said she went for a one-week retreat at a private facility in Canada's Rocky Mountains, where its residents are asked to remain silent for these seven days.

Nonetheless, Watson opened up about how her past boyfriends, such as her college love interest Will Adamowicz, generally made her feel "really cherished," pointing towards how they built her up. The young activist also shared about the difficulties she encounters when it comes to dating and whether guys are intimidated by her.

"I certainly haven't found that with doing all that I do or being all that I am, that I've struggled in my love life," she said. "I just think it's very patronizing towards men. It undermines them."

As previously reported, Watson and Janney's breakup came after almost a year of dating last winter. "It was a mutual decision," a source told Us Weekly during such time.

Other than a number of erroneous speculations about having a secret affair with Prince Harry, the "Noah' actress has not been publicly linked to any other individual.

On the other hand, Watson has stepped up for her role as the "voice of a generation" and discussed her opinions on gender equality and experiences with the HeForShe campaign in 2014.

"Everything clicked in to place, in a way that it hadn't before. I understood what I'm here to do and knew where to channel all this energy that has been coming at me. I now feel this sense of peace. People say that I'm different since I did it," the "Colonia Dignidad' actress previously said in an interview with Glamour.

Meanwhile, as part of her interview with Vogue UK, Watson contributed to an insightful video in which she talks about an all-encompassing issue in the fashion industry that she aims to change: racism and sexism.

In the video, Watson and designers Bella Freud, Stella McCartney, Erdem Moralioglu, and Jonathan Saunders discuss how black-and white issues as well as gender role concerns, such as parental leave and pay gap, should be changed for the better.