What did JK Rowling say about Emma Watson? Harry Potter creator's rift with Hermione actress, explained

J.K. Rowling has long been at the center of cultural debate. Since 2020, her outspoken views on transgender rights have divided fans and caused tension with the actors who helped bring her wizarding world to life. Emma Watson, who famously played Hermione Granger in all eight films, has been among her most outspoken critics. The fallout between Rowling and Watson has turned into a lasting rift, reshaping how fans view the franchise.

J.K. Rowling vs. Emma Watson: A rift that refuses to heal

The controversy between the author and both Emma and Daniel Radcliffe started when Rowling shared a post mocking the phrase “people who menstruate.” Her comments were widely criticized as transphobic, leading Watson and Daniel Radcliffe to publicly affirm their support for trans people. Watson told her followers: 

“Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned.”

Rowling took their statements as a betrayal. When asked online if she might forgive them, she responded with a tweet stating: 

“Not safe, I’m afraid. Celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights … can save their apologies for traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single sex spaces.” 

This comment signaled not only that she would not forgive Watson or Radcliffe, but also that she believed their support of the trans community had long-lasting consequences. Watson, however, struck a different tone when she spoke about the feud on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, released on September 24, 2025. Acknowledging their differences, she said: 

“I really don’t believe that by having had that experience and holding the love and support and views that I have, mean that I can’t and don’t treasure Jo and the person that I had personal experiences with. I will never believe that one negates the other and that my experience of that person, I don’t get to keep and cherish,” said Watson.

“To come back to our earlier thing — I just don’t think these things are either or. 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,” she continued.

The conflict has grown into more than a personal disagreement. Rowling sees herself as defending women’s rights, while Watson’s advocacy represents a younger, more progressive approach to identity and inclusion. Their public divide has come to symbolize the broader cultural battlelines that now surround the Wizarding World.

Harry Potter reboot: A new Hogwarts takes shape

While the feud dominates headlines, HBO has launched production on its Harry Potter reboot. Each of Rowling’s seven novels will be adapted into a full season, providing room to explore storylines that the films condensed. The cast list for the series includes Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermione, Alastair Stout as Ron, John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Snape, and Nick Frost as Hagrid.

New faces also bring to life characters like Ginny, Neville, and Draco Malfoy. Notably, Lord Voldemort’s casting has yet to be announced, leaving fans speculating on when the dark wizard will first appear. With younger actors closer to the characters’ ages in the books and a longer format, the series aims to deliver a version truer to Rowling’s novels.

Against the backdrop of the whole controversy between the British author J.K. Rowling and actress Emma Watson, HBO’s reboot of Harry Potter offers a new opportunity for fans to return to Hogwarts. The question is whether audiences can enjoy the magic while navigating the growing distance between the author and the stars who once defined her world.