JK Rowling fires back at Emma Watson after actor broke silence on their feud

JK Rowling has fired back at Emma Watson after the Harry Potter actor broke her silence on her feud with the controversial author.

The actor spoke for the first time in a podcast posted this week about JK Rowling - who had made multiple pointed digs at the main trio from the Harry Potter films, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Watson herself.

All three had drawn the ire of Rowling after speaking out in support of the transgender community.

Watson specifically tweeted in 2020: “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.”

Radcliffe meanwhile posted a statement via the Trevor Project affirming that ‘trans women are women’, a view shared by Grint who said that he ‘firmly stands with the trans community’.

Rowling, who has previously claimed she’d rather go to prison than use a transgender person’s pronouns and has repeatedly misgendered trans newsreader India Willoughby, hit out at the trio after the publication of the Cass Report.

The report, which was highly criticised, was a review of the NHS gender identity services provided to young people in the UK.

Following its publication she said that she would not be accepting apologies from Watson and Radcliffe and added: "Celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women's hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies."

Watson responded in a recent podcast appearance with an olive branch to the author, stating that despite what happened she still ‘treasures’ her, and that what upsets her most is there was never a conversation about it, indicating she would be open to having one.

Rowling, however, is clearly not interested in making peace with the actors.

The author took to X with a slightly veiled post in response to the Watson situation.

She quote tweeted a furious rant from earlier this year in which she slammed open letters from people in the arts about transgender rights, saying: “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.”

Whilst she does not name Watson specifically, more or less everyone seems to agree that the post is Rowling setting fire to the olive branch offered by the actor.

Rowling responded laughing after one of her followers replied saying: “I’m here for ALL the subtweets”.

Many however felt it was an unnecessary shot at Watson after she showed love for Rowling in the wake of the ongoing feud.

One reply said: “Is all that hate really necessary? And why, if you believe you have the truth, throw so many indirect jabs?

“Emma spoke openly and respectfully, while you’re just constantly attacking.”