JK Rowling has seemingly aimed a fresh social media dig at Harry Potter leads Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint amid their long-running rift over her views on transgender rights.
The 59-year-old author recently responded to a post on X asking, “What actor/actress instantly ruins a movie for you?”
She replied, “Three guesses. Sorry, but that was irresistible,” followed by laughing emojis.
While the author did not name anyone directly, the comment has been widely interpreted as a veiled swipe at Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint.
The trio who led the hugely successful Wizarding World franchise and have since distanced themselves from Rowling over her stance on transgender identities.
Rowling’s response has revived a rift that has been simmering for years.
The fallout began in late 2019, when she publicly backed researcher Maya Forstater, whose contract wasn’t renewed after she posted tweets questioning gender self-identification policies.
The move prompted backlash and marked the beginning of Rowling’s increasingly vocal opposition to what she describes as “new trans activism.”
In a lengthy blog post published in 2020, Rowling laid out her concerns about gender identity ideology. Her views drew sharp criticism from fans and led the Potter actors to speak out.
Radcliffe was the first to respond, writing in a statement through LGBTQ+ youth charity The Trevor Project, “Transgender women are women.”
Admitting Rowling’s impact on his life, he said he still felt “compelled” to speak out after hearing from trans fans who connected deeply with the story and characters.
He added, “The reason I felt very, very much as though I needed to say something when I did was because, particularly since finishing Potter, I’ve met so many queer and trans kids and young people who had a huge amount of identification with Potter on that.”
Watson and Grint later echoed his sentiments.
At the 2022 BAFTAs, Watson made a veiled comment many saw as a reference to Rowling.
Watson said, “Here to present the next award is Emma Watson. She calls herself a feminist, but we all know she’s a witch.”
Last year, Rowling addressed the fallout directly, saying in April 2024 that she would not accept apologies from the actors.
“Save their apologies,” she wrote after the release of the Cass report into gender identity services.
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