Emma Watson has addressed her public disagreement with JK Rowling’s comments on trans rights, saying: “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.”
The Harry Potter star’s reflective comments were made in a podcast interview with Jay Shetty this week.
Famous for her portrayal of Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series, Watson had previously called out Rowling’s anti-trans beliefs, particularly after one of Rowling’s essays about the need for single-sex spaces due to a ‘threat’ of violence against women.
In a tweet in 2020, Watson had responded saying: “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.”
Watson was among a number of other Harry Potter cast members who stood up against Rowling on trans rights, including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Bonnie Wright.
Responding to the criticism, Rowling said she would “never forgive” the Harry Potter film stars who criticised her stance on transgender rights.
In the recent interview with Shetty, however, Watson, 35, offered sentiments that seemed reconciliatory towards Rowling, saying she still feels able to “treasure” her previous experience with the author, who gave Watson “kindness and words of encouragement” when she was growing up on set of the films.
Watson also showed appreciation towards Rowling for the opportunity to play a character that “to be honest barely exists in the history of English literature”.
“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,” Watson 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 or co-join themselves, and maybe accept that they never will, but that they can both still be true.”
Watson also mentioned she hadn’t believed a dialogue over the issue had been permitted, saying: “I think the thing I’m most upset about is that a conversation was never made possible.”
When Shetty asked if she remained open to having that dialogue, Watson replied that she “always will” be open to it.
Following the release of the interview, Rowling posted to X seemingly referencing Watson’s comments but not stating any names in particular.
“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,” the Thursday post reads.
In 2021, the three lead actors of the Harry Potter movie series- Watson, Radcliffe and Rupert Grint- reunited for the 20th anniversary of the first film, with Rowling notably absent.
In April this year, judges at the UK Supreme Court unanimously ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under the equalities law.
Watson was among 1,600 film and TV figures who signed an open letter saying they “stand in solidarity with the trans, non-binary, and intersex communities” who were affected by this ruling.