Actress Emma Watson is speaking out for the first time about her strained relationship with Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, addressing the tension that has grown between them in recent years.
Rowling, 60, began publicly expressing controversial views about transgender issues around the mid-2010s, prompting Watson and fellow Harry Potter cast members to speak out in support of trans rights. On Wednesday, September 24, Watson appeared on the podcast On Purpose with Jay Shetty and discussed her tense relationship with the creator of the Harry Potter universe.
During the podcast, Watson was asked to respond to remarks made by J.K. Rowling, including the author's claim last year that she wouldn't "forgive" her for criticizing her statements publicly.
"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,” said the actress. “I will never believe that one negates the other and that my experience of that person, I don’t get to keep and cherish.”
Watson then added, "I think 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.”
Later on in the interview, Watson told Shetty that, "I think the thing that I'm most upset about is that a conversation was never made possible. I always will [remain open]. I believe in that completely. I just don't want to say anything that continues to weaponize a really toxic debate and conversation, which is why I don't comment 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's comments highlight the difficulty of speaking out against someone so connected to her early career. Watson, who rose to international fame for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films between 2001 and 2011, has taken a step back from the public eye since her last role in 2019's Little Women.
