Before Florence Pugh won the role of Yelena Belova in Black Widow, Emma Watson was reportedly a front runner, and her portrayal would’ve been very different. In Black Widow, the Marvel Cinematic Universe finally gives Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) the recognition she deserves. The film reveals Romanoff was part of a Russian spy program that secretly operated in the United States in the ’90s. In the program, Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz) acted as Romanoff’s fake parents, and Yelena Belova (played later by Pugh) acts as her fake sister. The four of them become close during their time together and even reunite years later to destroy the Red Room, a Soviet-Russian operation that brainwashed future Black Widow assassins.
Pugh’s Yelena is a welcomed addition to the MCU. Pugh brings heart, physicality, and a many-pocketed vest to the role. In addition, Yelena’s jokes and sass often steal the show throughout the film. In fact, a real-world joke between Johansson and Pugh even made it into the script, allowing the movie to showcase an organic sisterly relationship between the actors. And Marvel clearly has confidence in Pugh’s MCU future, even using a post-credit scene to set up more appearances by the character in upcoming projects.
Despite Pugh’s iconic performance, she may not have always been the front runner for the role. In 2019, reports said Emma Watson could take one of the lead roles in the film. At the time, the role was described as a “kick ass female Bond.” Of course, Pugh received the part of Black Widow’s spunky, comical pseudo sister, Yelena. However, considering Emma Watson was a one-time front runner, Marvel was clearly open to a very different interpretation of the character.
Unlike Pugh, Watson doesn’t have a true action role in her notable credits. Pugh’s Yelena is physical from her introduction in Black Widow, immediately fighting with her former sister when the pair first meet up. And the actor had plenty of experience in that realm, previously portraying a wrestler in Fighting with My Family. On the other hand, Watson tends to take on less physical roles. Other than swinging an axe in This Is the End, a movie in which she plays an alternate version of herself, Watson has gravitated towards more dramatic roles after first appearing in Harry Potter films. However, the actor has also performed choreography in films such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower, so perhaps her Black Widow fight scenes could’ve taken on more graceful routines.
Looking at the differences between Pugh and Watson, perhaps the best comparison is a movie they both starred in. In Little Women, Pugh plays Amy, and Watson plays Meg. In the movie, Amy starts as a petulant child, and though she steals scenes and Timothee Chalamet’s heart, that childishness never fully leaves her character. Alternatively, Meg is the older sister obsessed with the finer things in life. The difference in their characters may very well have been the difference in their versions of Yelena. Florence Pugh’s Yelena brings much-needed childishness to the often-serious Black Widow, while Watson’s Yelena—given her history of roles—would’ve likely had more maturity and downplayed the comedy.
Unexpected Team-Up: Prince William and Emma Watson Unite for Change
Prince William had plenty to celebrate this weekend, but his latest public appearance quickly turned heads for a very different reason. After marking his 44th birthday and Father's Day with his family, the future king returned to royal duties—and made a surprisingly personal confession about the emotional toll of climate change.
William joined Hollywood stars Emma Watson and Benedict Cumberbatch at a United for Wildlife forum in London, an initiative he launched with the Royal Foundation in 2013. The organization works around the world to combat wildlife trafficking, environmental crime, and the destruction of endangered species.
But it was William's candid admission about his own fears that stole the spotlight.
The Prince of Wales revealed that climate change has caused him "sleepless nights," admitting he has struggled with anxiety about what the future could look like. Yet instead of allowing those fears to overwhelm him, William said seeing real progress through conservation efforts has helped keep his environmental anxiety under control.
He also delivered a powerful message to business leaders, urging them to become the kind of leaders they admired when they were children. With technology and innovation transforming the world at an incredible pace, William challenged CEOs to use their influence to create meaningful change.
The event launched London Climate Action Week, with more royal appearances expected, including the Earthshot Prize assembly.
Emma Watson also delivered a surprising revelation of her own. The Harry Potter star highlighted the fashion industry's enormous environmental impact, pointing out that it produces more emissions than aviation and ranks behind only oil among major polluting industries.
Watson, who is also pursuing a doctorate in philosophy at Oxford, shared a hilarious story about mistakenly believing paparazzi were following her. After spotting photographers with telephoto lenses, she arranged a distraction and escaped through another exit. The twist? They weren't photographing her at all. They were waiting to capture a red kite.
Meanwhile, Benedict Cumberbatch praised William as "a great guy" and urged businesses and individuals to recognize that they can still make a difference, even when global environmental challenges appear overwhelming.
With William, Watson, and Cumberbatch joining forces on the issue, the London forum delivered a clear message: the fight against environmental destruction is becoming impossible for the world's biggest names to ignore.
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