Emma Watson is speaking out about her relationship with Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling after years away from the spotlight. The actress made an appearance on Jay Shetty's On Purpose podcast, and during the conversation, revealed her complex feelings towards the author of the worldwide bestselling books that became eight movies and topped box offices globally. Emma and J.K. have had a rift since 2020 when the Harry Potter author posted a series of tweets and a 3,600-word essay that many criticized as transphobic. At the time, Emma responded to the essay with a brief statement affirming her support for the transgender community, and response, J.K said that she would "never forgive" Emma or her Harry Potter co-stars Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint for having "cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights".
However, when Jay asked Emma her thoughts on those comments, she responded gracefully, saying: "I really don't believe that by having had [my] experience and holding the love and support and views that I have, [means] 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." Emma added: "I think the thing I'm most upset about is that a conversation was never made possible."
The actress continued: "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 whom I don't necessarily share the same opinion with." Emma added: "I think the thing I'm most upset about is that a conversation was never made possible."
The clips of Emma's interview with Jay have gone viral on social media, with one video getting over 3.2 million views. While J.K. has not publicly responded to Emma's comments, she did share a parody video of the actress' podcast appearance. IntelLady, a comedian with 22,000 TikTok followers, posted a spoof of Emma's interview. J.K. shared the video to X, writing: "I'm here for all the spoofs."
© Getty ImagesDuring Emma's interview, she also opened up about the loneliness she experienced after Harry Potter wrapped. "I was bone-breakingly lonely," she admitted. "[I thought] that the people I worked with were going to be my family and that we were going to be lifelong friends," the Perks of Being a Wallflower star explained. "I came to work looking for friendship and that was a very painful experience for me."
© Dave Benett, Getty ImagesThe actress shared her frustration with unrealistic beauty standards in Hollywood, noting that celebrities are exhausted by the constant pressure for perfection. "I don't know how to live up to what I look like on the cover of a magazine. There's such a glamorization that comes hand in hand with being a public, famous person, especially if you're a woman," Emma said.
© Robino SalvatoreThe Little Women actress continued: "I feel so envious of my male costar who can put on a T-shirt and just show up without this whole rigmarole of becoming acceptable enough to be on camera." She noted: "It's wild. The expectations are insane. It's impossible. The beauty expectations are so difficult to reach, and the bar gets raised all the time, so you're constantly on a Survivor island game show beauty nightmare."
