Emma Watson has faced backlash for saying she still “loves” Harry Potter author JK Rowling and refuses to “cancel her”, despite their differing views on trans issues.
The actress, who played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter franchise from 2001 to 2011, was one of several stars of the fantasy films who spoke out against Rowling’s views in 2020.
However, in a new interview, Watson, 35, said she “cherishes” and “treasures” the writer, 60, and understands that she held an important role in her early life - while adding that she strongly supports trans rights.
"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 on the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast.
The Bling Ring star added: "I think the thing I'm most upset about is that a conversation was never made possible."
She praised Rowling for the "kindness and words of encouragement" she gave when she was growing up, and for letting her play a character that "to be honest barely exists in the history of English literature".
Watson went on: "There's just no world in which I could ever cancel her out, or cancel that out, for anything. It has to remain true. It is true.
"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 or co-join themselves, and maybe accept that they never will, but that they can both still be true.
"And I can love her, I can know she loved me, I can be grateful to her, I can know the things that she said [about me] are true, and there can be this whole other thing.
"And my job feels like to just hold all of it. But the bigger thing is just, what she's done will never be taken away from me."
Earlier today, Rowling shared a post on X that seemed targeted at Watson.
“A little reminder for anyone who may be regretting their very public sprint to the front of the mob and is now trying to discreetly shove their pitchfork out of sight,” she wrote while re-sharing her lengthy post from May about the UK's Supreme Court ruling on the definition of sex.
Watson’s latest interview divided fans, with some claiming she was too “passive” and accusing her of “sitting on the fence”.
A little reminder for anyone who may be regretting their very public sprint to the front of the mob and is now trying to discreetly shove their pitchfork out of sight. https://t.co/pt6SOguDUI
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 25, 2025
“Then what’s the point of advocating for rights? You can’t just ‘let it be’; those bigots can think it’s okay to keep being bigots and people will like them,” one critic wrote on X.
“Being passive like that doesn’t work. We’re talking human rights and the harm it can do to those oppressed communities.”
Another added: “She's saying nothing and not hold JK Rowling accountable for anything she said that she herself might be opposed to. Fence sitting like this is week, and actually empowers JK to continue her bigotry.”
A third posted: “It’s WILD how much more gracious and respectful they are about her than she is about them.”
Others defended the Perks Of Being A Wallflower actress, recognising that she had been put in a “complicated” position.
“Tbf I think the situation of those 3 main actors [in Harry Potter] is immensely more emotionally complicated and complex than we can ever understand,” one wrote.
“I feel for Watson. She still has alot of career left in Hollywood and this topic is a minefield in that world. JK has FU money and is untouchable. She holds rights in everything HP and it's just too popular to be canceled,” another added.
“You can hate JK, but you'll never truly effect her life.”
Watson previously criticised Rowling’s essay about the need for single-sex spaces due to the threat of violence against women.
She wrote on X: “Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are.”
