Emma Watson faces backlash over Alan Rickman tribute

Actress Emma Watson. Photo / Getty Images

Emma Watson has been accused of exploiting her former co-star's death.

The Harry Potter star paid tribute to Alan Rickman on Twitter who died last week aged 69 after a battle with cancer.

"I'm very sad to hear about Alan." Watson wrote. "I feel so lucky to have worked and spent time with such a special man and actor. I'll really miss our conversations. RIP Alan. We love you."

Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, Alan Rickman as Professor Severus Snape and Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter.

However, Watson is facing a backlash after outraged fans said she was using Rickman's passing to "push her feminist agenda".

The 25 year-old actress, who spearheaded the gender equality campaign He for She and is a Goodwill ambassador for the UN, also posted an image of Rickman along with a direct quote from the actor: "There is nothing wrong with a man being a feminist, I think it is to our mutual advantage."

#alanrickman pic.twitter.com/4WXwnoUtM7

— Emma Watson (@EmmaWatson) January 14, 2016

This angered some fans on Twitter, who said Watson was "using someone's death to advance your own agenda".

Another user said: "So the feminist Emma Watson used the death of Alan Rickman's to push her agenda. Pathetic. Disgusting. Another reason why I'm a meninist..."

.@EmWatson oh wow, you're using someone's death to push a completely unrelated agenda. this is so, so gross.

— Chloe 🍄 (@dekashoko) January 14, 2016

Another wrote: "I've never liked Emma Watson. She was good as Hermoine but hell I can't stand her and her Neo-Feminist agenda."

According to the Independent, Rickman, who was known best for his role in the Potter films as Hogwarts' potions master Severus Snape, often spoke about gender equality in interviews and just last year told Entertainment Weekly: "I always think 'feminist' just means common sense."

"Do I live in a world and certainly in a business that is incredibly unfair to women? Yes, I do."

Watson herself did not reply to the negative posts. However many of her followers retweeted the image, celebrating Rickman's words.

- nzherald.co.nz