Following Emma Watson's recent conciliatory remarks about JK Rowling, the Harry Potter author posted what many interpret as a pointed response on X.
Ms Rowling shared a message aimed at those who might be "regretting their very public sprint to the front of the mob and is now trying to discreetly shove their pitchfork out of sight".
The author accompanied this statement by reposting an extensive message from May that criticised gender ideology and those who publicly endorsed it.
Her timing appeared significant, coming just hours after Ms Watson's podcast interview became public.
A little reminder for anyone who may be regretting their very public sprint to the front of the mob and is now trying to discreetly shove their pitchfork out of sight. https://t.co/pt6SOguDUI
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 25, 2025
The cryptic post has been widely interpreted as a rejection of Watson's attempt at reconciliation, though Ms Rowling did not explicitly name the actress in her message.
Ms Watson appeared on Jay Shetty's On Purpose podcast, where she discussed her complex feelings about the Harry Potter creator.
The actress stated she continues to treasure her personal experiences with Ms Rowling, insisting that disagreements don't negate their past relationship.
"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," she explained during the interview.
Emma Watson has previously spoken out against JK Rowling | GETTY The Hermione Granger actress expressed her "deepest wish" that those who disagree with her views would still maintain affection for her.
She emphasised her commitment to loving individuals despite ideological differences, stating: "I hope I can keep loving people who I don't necessarily share the same opinion with."
Ms Rowling's May post, which she chose to resurface, contained sharp criticism of what she termed "gender ideology" and its supporters.
The lengthy message argued that "nobody sane believes, or has ever believed, that humans can change sex" and described such beliefs as "an elitist badge of virtue".
The post characterised the phrase "Trans Women are Women, Trans Men are Men" as "self-contradictory nonsense" and "the foundational lie" of what she called a religious-like movement.
She suggested supporters of these views had enabled harm, including "the hounding and shaming of vulnerable women" and "the unregulated medical experiment on minors".
Ms Rowling's original message questioned whether signatories of pro-trans letters felt "any qualms" whilst supporting a movement she claimed "bullies gay people" and campaigns for "the continued sterilisation of vulnerable and troubled kids".
The discord between Ms Rowling and several Harry Potter film stars emerged in 2020 when the author faced widespread criticism for comments many considered anti-transgender.
JK Rowling has faced a huge backlash for her views on the trans debate | PAMs Watson, alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, publicly opposed Ms Rowling's stance on gender identity matters.
During the podcast, the actress reflected on feeling "upset" that dialogue between them had never materialised.
She stressed her belief that "no one is disposable" and that everyone deserves "dignity and respect" regardless of disagreements.
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Emma Watson seemed to change her previous stance on JK Rowling
|ON PURPOSE PODCAST
The actress praised Rowling's past "kindness and words of encouragement and steadfastness" towards her.
She affirmed that her role as Hermione represented an exceptional opportunity in English literary history, declaring, "there is just no world in which I could ever cancel her out for, or cancel that out, for anything."