Emma Watson has spoken frankly for the first time about the breakdown in her relationship with Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.
Appearing on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast (see video below), Watson did not make an explicit reference to Rowling’s rejection of transgender rights, but the issue has been a flashpoint in their relationship.
The fissure became apparent in 2020, when Rowling penned an infamous essay detailing her concerns about trans activism and what the author says is its conflict with women’s rights. At the time, Watson responded: “Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned.”
Rowling has since become more hardline in her rhetoric on X/Twitter and beyond. She has declined to use preferred pronouns, described some trans women as “crossdressers,” and criticized the Harry Potter stars for supporting the transgender community, saying they “cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights.”
Reflecting on the rift with life coach Shetty, Watson said that she still treasures her time with Rowling on Harry Potter. “It’s my deepest wish that I hope people who don’t agree with my opinion will love me, and I hope I can keep loving people who I don’t necessarily share the same opinion with,” she said.
Watson, who has not had a major screen role since 2019’s Little Women, added that she was “upset” that “a conversation [with Rowling] was never made possible.”
She remains open to a discussion, but stressed, “I just don’t want to say anything that continues to weaponize a really toxic debate and conversation.” Watson continued: “I don’t comment [on trans rights], or continue to comment — not because I don’t care about her or about the issue — but because the way that the conversation is being had feels really painful to me.”
The actress added she will always remain grateful to Rowling for creating the character of Hermione Granger, and there is “no world in which I could ever cancel her out, or cancel that out.” She said: “I just don’t know what else to do other than hold these two seemingly incompatible things together at the same time and just hope maybe they will one day resolve.”
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