Watson was asked about Rowling saying she’ll never forgive her or Daniel Radcliffe for their support of trans rights — and said she was “most upset” that “a conversation was never made possible” with her

Emma Watson gave a very measured response when asked about her opinion on J.K. Rowling, and the Harry Potter author’s comments about her in the wake of Watson’s support of the trans community.

The actress, who starred as Hermione Granger in all the film adaptations of Rowling’s work, appeared on the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast for a rare interview this week. At one point in the conversation, Shetty said he wanted to bring up a “difficult and challenging” topic, the topic being Rowling’s recent comments about Watson.

While the actress has never directly called out Rowling for her controversial stance on transgender issues and trans rights, she has made it known she does not share the same opinions.

In June 2020, Watson said, “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.” She followed up, writing, “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.”

In the years since, Rowling said anyone like Watson or Daniel Radcliffe, who she believes “cozied 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” when one fan said they were waiting for the two actors “to give you a very public apology.”

In another viral moment, Rowling was asked “what actor/actress instantly ruins a movie for you,” responding, “Three guesses. Sorry, but that was irresistible.” Though she didn’t say their names, many assumed she was talking about Watson, Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, who has also shown support for the trans community.

“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 said when asked how she handles comments from Rowling.

“I will never believe that one negates the other and that my experience of that person, I don’t get to keep and cherish … I don’t think these things are either/or,” she continued. “I think it’s my deepest wish that like 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.”

“I really do believe in having conversations and that those are really important. I guess where I’ve landed is, it’s not so much what we say or what we believe, but very often how we say it that’s really important,” she told Shetty. “I see this world right now where we seem to be giving permission for this kind of throwing out of people or that people are disposable and I just think that’s … I will always think that’s wrong. I just believe that no one is disposable and everyone, as far as possible, whatever the conversation is, should and can be treated with, at the very least, dignity and respect.”

When it comes to Rowling, however, Watson said she’s “most upset” that a “conversation was never made possible” with them on the subject. When asked whether she was still open to having that dialogue, she added, “Yeah, and I always will.”

“I just don’t want to say anything that continues to weaponize a really toxic debate and conversation, which is maybe why … it is why I don’t comment or continue to comment,” she added. “Not because I don’t care about her or the issue, but the way that the conversation is being hard is really painful to me. That’s why that decision.”

See what more franchise stars have said about Rowling’s beliefs below.