“She’s ignorant”: J.K. Rowling responds fiercely to Emma Watson’s comments on their feud with a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter)

J.K. Rowling responded to Emma Watson through a harsh post on September 29, 2025, through a lengthy post on X. The Harry Potter author branded the actress as "ignorant" as she responded to Watson's recent comment on their tense relationship and the transgender rights debate. Rowling tweeted:

“She’s ignorant.”

During her appearance on Jay Shetty's podcast earlier this week, 35-year-old Emma Watson opened up about her continuing spat with Rowling. The actress said that she was disappointed because they were never able to have a meaningful conversation:

“The thing I’m most upset about is that a conversation was never made possible. 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.”

Watson went on to say that despite her strong support for transgender rights, she still "treasures" J.K. Rowling:

“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.”

Watson continued:

“I will never believe that one negates the other and that my experience of that person, I don’t get to keep and cherish to come back to our earlier thing. I just don’t think these things are either or. It’s my deepest wish that 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.”

Although her comments implied a willingness to make amends, Rowling's scathing reply said otherwise.

J.K. Rowling's lengthy rebuttal on X

In a lengthy response, 60-year-old J.K. Rowling openly responded to Watson's remarks. She maintained that Watson's fame and privileged upbringing prevented her from having a practical viewpoint:

"Like other people who've never experienced adult life uncushioned by wealth and fame, Emma has so little experience of real life she's ignorant of how ignorant she is."

She continued:

"She'll never need a homeless shelter. She's never going to be placed on a mixed sex public hospital ward. I'd be astounded if she's been in a high street changing room since childhood. Her 'public bathroom' is single occupancy and comes with a security man standing guard outside the door."

Rowling also contrasted her upbringing with Watson's, reminding fans of her own struggles before fame:

"I wasn't a multimillionaire at fourteen. I lived in poverty while writing the book that made Emma famous."

Rowling also accused the Harry Potter cast, which included Watson, Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe, of undercutting her own convictions while serving as the franchise's "de facto spokespeople":

"Emma and Dan in particular have both made it clear over the last few years that they think our former professional association gives them a particular right - nay, obligation - to critique me and my views in public."

Through her post, it was also revealed that Emma had passed a handwritten note to J.K. Rowling when she was facing death, rape and torture threats. Emma had written, 'I'm so sorry for what you're going through.' Speaking about this incident, when everything was at its peak, when Rowling had to tighten security measures for herself and her family, she wrote:

"Emma had just publicly poured more petrol on the flames, yet thought a one-line expression of concern from her would reassure me of her fundamental sympathy and kindness."

J.K. Rowling reflects on past protectiveness

J.K. Rowling acknowledged that she had previously felt protective of the youngsters she cast, but said she no longer felt that way:

"When you've known people since they were ten years old it's hard to shake a certain protectiveness. Until quite recently, I hadn't managed to throw off the memory of children who needed to be gently coaxed through their dialogue in a big scary film studio."

She firmly defended her right to speak up as her remarks came to a close:

"Emma Watson and her co-stars have every right to embrace gender identity ideology. Such beliefs are legally protected, and I wouldn't want to see any of them threatened with loss of work, or violence, or death, because of them."

The rift between the Harry Potter author and actors started back in 2020 when J.K. Rowling published her infamous essay titled "TERF Wars," where she questioned transgender rights legislation. To which Watson responded by writing on X:

“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.”

Other Harry Potter castmates also posted similar messages of support as they distanced themselves from the author.

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