JK Rowling Responds To Emma Watson’s Comments That She Still Loves Her

JK Rowling has responded to comments made by Emma Watson about their rift this week, by sharing a clip mocking the actress.

Watson appeared on a podcast where she said she “treasures” her memories with Rowling, among several other comments.

However it doesn’t appear Rowling was particularly moved by the gesture.

JK Rowling shares clip mocking Emma Watson

Ever since JK Rowling made her feelings about the trans community public there has been much backlash against the author.

In particular the three stars of her widely popular Harry Potter films have all spoken out against the author, creating a rift between her and the stars that has lasted years since they first spoke out in 2020.

Emma Watson posted her support on social media at the time stating “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.”

“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” she continued.

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.

— Emma Watson (@EmmaWatson) June 10, 2020

Following the ongoing tensions, JK Rowling said in 2024 that she would not forgive Watson, Radcliffe and other allies of the trans community who spoke out against Rowling and her views.

“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 for traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single sex spaces” she wrote on X (Twitter) at the time.

Since then Rowling has been continuing to campaign against transgender rights, including funding legal battles in the UK and supporting the Tickle Vs Giggle case in Australia.

However this week Emma Watson extended the olive branch, somewhat, when she appeared on the podcast On Purpose with Jay Shetty.

Watson made comments on the podcast as she reflected on her strained relationship with Rowling during her time on the podcast.

“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,” she said.

“I will never believe that one negates the other and that my experience of that person, I don’t get to keep and cherish” she said of herself and Rowling.

“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.”

Further into the podcast Watson spoke further of tension revealing she’d never had the opportunity for a discussion with Rowling, stating that “a conversation was never made possible.”

She also looked back on her time as a young person working with Rowling,

“There’s just no world in which I could ever cancel her out or cancel that out for anything,” she 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.”

She reiterated her love for Rowling as she contemplated the future of their relationship. “I can love her. I can know she loved me. I can be grateful to her. I can know the things that she said are true. And that can be this whole other thing. And my job feels like to just hold all of it.”

Whilst the sentiments where lovely it seems they haven’t struck a chord with JK Rowling.

In the days following the comments she took to X (Twitter) to retweet a parody video of Watson by comedian Angela Rayner.

The video shows the actress mocking the comments made by Watson as she exaggerates them, in Rowling’s favour.

I’m already missing @intel_lady‘s Angela Rayner,
but I’m here for ALL the spoofs🤣 https://t.co/2jdtD9MYw7

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 26, 2025

Rowling fell short of making any further comments except for replying to a tweet about Watson’s comments to which she responded, “It’s quite extraordinary how many people think a crocodile will be so grateful you’ve fed it red meat for years that it’ll let you stroll away unharmed when you decide you want a break.

It’s quite extraordinary how many people think a crocodile will be so grateful you’ve fed it red meat for years that it’ll let you stroll away unharmed when you decide you want a break. https://t.co/RHcNHhllCr

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 27, 2025