Modern Icon, Emma Watson?

At the start of March Emma Watson was confirmed as the new face of Lancôme. As stated by Youcef Nabi, president of Lancôme International; 'Thanks to her charm, romanticism and her incredible modernity, Emma Watson has become the icon of her generation. We are delighted by this new collaboration with Emma, who brings a fresh spirit to Lancome.'
‘Icon of her generation’. Really? What has made this 20 year old actress ascend to the status of Icon? Since she first burst onto our screens in 2001 she has starred almost exclusively in just Harry Potter films. This young girl from Oxfordshire (although born in Paris where she lived for 5 years) while a talented actress, can hardly be referred to as an Icon of her generation surely. What has she done to deserve this accolade?

An icon, as per Dictionary.com is; a person or thing regarded as a symbol of a belief, nation, community, or cultural movement.

Perhaps it is just me, but when I hear the word ‘Icon’, I think of Ghandi, Marilyn Monroe, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luthor King, James Dean, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, even Madonna and Kylie. These people will all do down in history as Icons, granted for a variety of different reasons, some of which have more relevance and historical importance than others, but all of them deserve the honour none the less.

I just cant help but feel somewhat aggrieved by such a young woman who really, has yet to even begin her life and career being referred to by such a term which is historically given to long standing, innovative and influential individuals. Perhaps I am wrong, perhaps to lots of teens and twenty-somethings she is an Icon, perhaps even their icon.