Los Angeles, Mar 16 (IANS): Actress Emma Watson is taking legal action after private photographs of the star were allegedly stolen and leaked online.

"Photos from a clothes fitting Emma had with a stylist a couple of years ago have been stolen. They are not nude photographs. Lawyers have been instructed and we are not commenting further," theguardian.com quoted her publicist as saying said.

Reports suggest that the photographs have been shared on "dark web" -- an encrypted network not easily accessible by the average user.

The "Harry Potter" star is the latest actor to be the focus of a leaked photograph scandal and confirmation of legal involvement follows the recent nine-month sentence handed to Edward Majerczyk, the man who hacked the phone of Jennifer Lawrence, among others.

Watson has previously been threatened with the leak of nude photographs as retaliation for her speech about gender equality as a UN ambassador for women.

On the work front, the actress will be seen in "Beauty And The Beast", which will release in India on Friday. Directed by Bill Condon, the film also stars Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Kline and Ewan McGregor.

The film is a live-action remake of Disney's 1991 film of the same name, itself an adaptation of Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont's fairy tale.