Harry Potter star Emma Watson, still best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the wildly popular fantasy series, has opened up about her relationship with author J.K. Rowling. Rowling, the creator of the book series that inspired the film series – and soon a TV reboot – has been vocal about her controversial views on the transgender community and their rights. Many in the industry have shown their disapproval over Rowling's stance, with some involved in the franchise distancing themselves from her views. Now Watson has spoken about Rowling, and during a podcast she has candidly spoken about her relationship with the divisive author.
As reported by Variety, Watson appeared on the podcast On Purpose With Jay Shetty and candidly addressed where she stands on the whole Rowling situation. During the in-depth interview, she shared her opinion about the author, but it wasn't been the first time the actor has talked about this.
In 2020, she expressed her views on social media, right as Rowling was going through the first wave of reactions after speaking out about the transgender community. "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," Watson wrote at the time, and joined others in the industry who didn't exactly stand beside the author. When asked about her current relationship with Rowling, Watson said the following to the podcast host:
"I really don't believe that by having had that 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… 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."
Emma Watson on Her Acting Break: "I Am Maybe the Happiest and Healthiest I've Ever Been"
Ever since she appeared in the 2019 film Little Women, Watson has enjoyed a lengthy break from the acting business. During a recent interview, she addressed her time in the industry, and candidly revealed what she doesn't miss about being in the spotlight. When asked if she was happy with the break she took, and her current situation away from Hollywood, the Harry Potter alum replied:
"I am maybe the happiest and healthiest I've ever been. I think what's interesting about being an actor is, there's a tendency to sort of fracture yourself into multiple personalities. I'm not just talking about the roles you play, but having the weight of a public persona, that sort of needs constant feeding and sprucing and glamorizing. It's very energy-intensive stuff. And shedding the multiple identities has freed up so much space, I think, for me to be a better sister, daughter, friend, granddaughter, and then artist. And someone who's trying to do some critical thinking of her own."
