J.K. Rowling, the celebrated author behind the Harry Potter series, has publicly responded to comments made by Emma Watson, her former co-star who portrayed Hermione Granger in the film adaptations. Their exchange, reignited following Watson’s recent podcast interview, has once again brought to the forefront their long-standing disagreement over transgender rights and gender identity.
Rowling took to X (formerly Twitter) to address Watson’s interview on the Jay Shetty podcast, where Watson expressed a desire to maintain affection and respect for Rowling despite their divergent views on trans issues. While Watson emphasised her support for the LGBTQ+ community and lamented the lack of open dialogue between herself and Rowling, the author struck a considerably harsher tone. Rowling acknowledged the legal protection of what she referred to as 'gender identity ideology' and claimed she did not oppose the right of others to embrace such beliefs or face discrimination for them. However, she criticised Watson and fellow co-star Daniel Radcliffe for publicly critiquing her views on the subject, suggesting they felt entitled by their past professional association to do so.
Rowling detailed a personal anecdote about a note Watson once sent her during a period when Rowling faced intense threats of violence, expressing scepticism about the actress’s gesture. She described Watson as 'ignorant' of the realities many women face outside of privilege, contrasting her own upbringing in poverty with Watson’s lifelong celebrity status. Rowling questioned whether Watson had ever encountered situations such as needing homeless shelters, mixed-sex hospital wards, segregated rape crisis centres, or women’s prisons—contexts that underpin Rowling’s concerns about the impacts of gender identity legislation on women’s safety and rights.
Watson, for her part, reiterated on the podcast that her admiration for Rowling as a person and creator remained, despite their political differences. 'I really don't believe that by having had that experience and holding the love and support and views that I have, means that I can't and don't treasure Jo and the person that I had personal experiences with,' she said. She also voiced a heartfelt hope that people who disagreed with her own opinions could still accept and love her, a sentiment she extended to her feelings about Rowling. Source: Noah Wire Services