Inside JK Rowling’s strained relationship with Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe after author said she wouldn’t forgive Harry Potter stars for their stance in the trans debate

JK Rowling’s crusade for women’s rights has lost her the support of many stars whose careers were launched thanks to her Harry Potter franchise – including Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe.

Her years-long campaign for what she calls “sex-based rights” has led to the former Potter actors distancing themselves from the multi-millionaire writer – and directly voicing their support for transgender rights.

The publication of the Cass Review, which concluded that children’s gender services were not making decisions based on substantiated medical evidence, led her to suggest she was unlikely to forgive stars such as Radcliffe and Watson for their views.

Radcliffe, who plays the famous young wizard in the franchise, has previously apologized to those who he said may have felt their enjoyment of the Harry Potter series had been “tarnished or diminished” because of Rowling’s stance.

Watson has also repeatedly spoken out in favor of trans rights, both before and after the author’s views came to light. Here, FEMAIL looks at Rowling’s strained relationship with the former child stars and how it has deteriorated over the years.

Rowling first faced criticism in 2018 after she liked a tweet that described trans women as “men in dresses.” Her spokesperson at the time said such a thing was a “mistake” and called it an “awkward middle-aged moment.”

But the author has since started a campaign to protect what she describes as women’s rights, fueled by her own experiences with domestic violence.

From repeatedly deliberately ‘misgendering’ trans women in social media posts to opposing legislation in Scotland that aimed to make it easier for trans people to change their legal gender, the 58-year-old has made her thoughts known over the years.

However, she has denied accusations that she is transphobic, and police said recent tweets in which she misgendered trans women do not breach Scotland’s new hate crime laws, which ban “fomenting” hatred against trans people.

June 2020 – Rowling’s views became explicit and Radcliffe and Watson spoke out

Things came to a head with the young actors of the Wizarding World in June 2020 when Rowling made her views on the subject explicit and published a lengthy 3,600-word statement saying her stance on trans rights stemmed from her experiences with abuse and sexual assault . raid.

She also retweeted an article that said “people who have periods,” and wrote, “People who have periods.” I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me. Wumbing? Wimpond? Woomud?’

She then followed up the tweet with another, which read: “If sex isn’t real, there is no same-sex attraction. When sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women worldwide is erased.

“I know and love transgender people, but erasing the concept of sex deprives many of the opportunity to meaningfully talk about their lives. It is not hatred to speak the truth.”

The author’s slew of comments sparked national outrage among activists and Harry Potter fans alike, including some actors who starred in the franchise.

Radcliffe was the first of the cast to speak out against her, writing a blog for LGBTQ+ charity The Trevor Project, explicitly saying, “Transgender women are women.”

He added: “Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice from professional healthcare organizations who have far more expertise in this area than Jo (Rowling) or I.”

The 34-year-old actor also apologized to fans, saying, “To all the people who now feel like their experience with the books has been tarnished or diminished, I am deeply sorry for the pain these comments have caused you. ‘

Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, was quick to support her fellow cast member and spoke out against Rowling’s position.

She wrote on

“I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you, and love you for who you are.”

The 33-year-old had also previously shared a photo of herself wearing a t-shirt that read: ‘Trans rights are human rights.’

March 2022 – Emma Watson called out ‘all witches’ at the BAFTAs

In March 2022, Watson made a comment that many people interpreted as a criticism of JK Rowling and her views.

She took to the stage to present the award for Best Outstanding British Film when she was introduced by presenter Rebel Wilson.

Rebel said: ‘Emma Watson is here to present the next award. She calls herself a feminist, but we all know she’s a witch.’ Emma then emphasized, “I’m here for ALL the witches!”

Viewers at home saw the comment as a jab at the Harry Potter creator, with one writing: “I’m here for all women.” Sly ‘Lil dig at JK Rowling there, Emma Watson?’

Another echoed: ‘Live for Emma Watson throwing subtle shade at JK Rowling at the #BAFTAs #LGBWithTheT #JKDoesntSpeakForMe’.

A third added: ‘Was that a joke from Emma Watson to JK Rowling? what a QUEEEEENNN’.

2023 – Daniel Radcliffe works with The Trevor Project

Daniel Radcliffe also continued to show his support for the transgender community, especially in his partnership with The Trevor Project.

In 2023, he moderated the first episode of ‘The Sharing Space’, a video series consisting of a roundtable discussion with six trans and non-binary children, organized by the charity.

Radcliffe said: ‘There are also people who have a slightly condescending but well-meaning attitude of ‘people are young… and it’s a huge decision.’

He asked the group of trans youth, “I’d like to hear from all of you why we can trust children to tell us who they are.”

He added that there are “some people in the world who are not trying to participate in this conversation in any kind of good faith.”

The actor said: ‘I think a lot of times it’s because people don’t know a young trans person, so there’s only a theoretical idea about it in their head.’

The episode appeared last year on Friday, March 31 – Transgender Day of Visibility.

April 2024 – Rowling suggests she will not forgive Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson

This month, The Cass Review, written by Dr Hilary Cass, found that teenagers in Britain were allowed to change their gender based on ‘remarkably weak evidence’.

In her report, Dr. warned Cass said there was a ‘lack of high-quality research’ into the effects of giving children puberty blockers and hormones, and said the toxicity in the debate on the issue had become ‘exceptional’.

Following the review, JK Rowling suggested on social media that she would not forgive Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson for their opinions.

Rowling wrote on X after the report was published, saying it was a “watershed moment” and that it “exposed the tragedy” of allowing children to transition.

When someone claimed that Radcliffe and Watson owe her “a very public apology… safe in the knowledge that you will forgive them,” Rowling responded by saying: “Not safe, I’m afraid.”

She added: “Celebrities who have joined a movement to erode women’s hard-won rights and used their platforms to encourage the transition of minors can save their apologies for traumatized detransitioners and vulnerable women who are dependent of single-sex spaces.”