J.K. Rowling Responds to Emma Watson Saying She Could Never ‘Cancel’ Her

J.K. Rowling has hit out at Harry Potter star Emma Watson after she recently opened up about their complicated relationship.

On Monday, Sept. 29, Rowling, 60, posted a lengthy message on X after seeing “quite a bit of comment” about Watson’s interview with Jay Shetty on the Sept. 24 episode of his On Purpose podcast.

Watson famously played Hermione Granger in the movie adaptations of Rowling’s Harry Potter novels, released between 2001 and 2011. Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, 36, and Rupert Grint, 37, played the three lead characters in the beloved franchise.

In recent years, Rowling has attracted considerable controversy for making anti-transgender comments, as well as her support for others with transphobic views, while Watson and Radcliffe have both publicly expressed support for the transgender community.

In Monday’s X post, Rowling wrote, “Like other people who’ve never experienced adult life uncushioned by wealth and fame, Emma has so little experience of real life she’s ignorant of how ignorant she is.”

She began the message by writing, “I’m not owed eternal agreement from any actor who once played a character I created. The idea is as ludicrous as me checking with the boss I had when I was twenty-one for what opinions I should hold these days.”

“Emma Watson and her co-stars have every right to embrace gender identity ideology. Such beliefs are legally protected, and I wouldn’t want to see any of them threatened with loss of work, or violence, or death, because of them,” Rowling continued.

“However, Emma and Dan in particular have both made it clear over the last few years that they think our former professional association gives them a particular right – nay, obligation – to critique me and my views in public,” the author added. “Years after they finished acting in Potter, they continue to assume the role of de facto spokespeople for the world I created.”

Rowling shared the message after Watson told Shetty in her lengthy podcast interview, “I guess where I’ve landed it, it’s not so much what we say or what we believe, it’s how we say it. I just see this world right now where we seem to giving permission to this throwing out of people, or that people are disposable. I will always think that’s wrong.”

“I just believe that no one is disposable,” she continued. “And everyone as far as possible, whatever the conversation is, should and can be treated with, at the very least, dignity and respect.” 

“I think the thing I’m most upset about is that a conversation was never made possible,” Watson told Shetty of the situation. When Shetty asked if Watson is “open for that dialogue” with Rowling, the actress agreed, though she said she does not “want to say anything that continues to weaponize a really toxic debate and conversation, which is why I don’t comment or continue to comment.”

Watson also noted Rowling’s “kindness and words of encouragement and steadfastness” toward her in the past, adding after discussing the amazing opportunity she was given to portray Hermione in Rowling’s series, “There is just no world in which I could ever cancel her out for, or cancel that out, for anything. It has to remain true — it is true.”

Watson’s recent comments came after she appeared to make a dig at Rowling while taking the stage at the 2022 BAFTA Awards.

Watson was introduced by host Rebel Wilson at the time, who said, “Here to present the next award is Emma Watson. She calls herself a feminist, but we all know she’s a witch.”

As she took the stage, Watson noted, “I’m here for all of the witches,” as shown in video footage shared by U.K. outlet The Independent.

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Rowling mentioned the comments in her X post, admitting, “In truth, that was a turning point for me, but it had a postscript that hurt far more than the speech itself.” 

“Emma asked someone to pass on a handwritten note from her to me, which contained the single sentence ‘I’m so sorry for what you’re going through’ (she has my phone number),” the author continued. “This was back when the death, rape and torture threats against me were at their peak, at a time when my personal security measures had had to be tightened considerably and I was constantly worried for my family’s safety.” 

“Emma had just publicly poured more petrol on the flames, yet thought a one line expression of concern from her would reassure me of her fundamental sympathy and kindness,” Rowling — who admitted that, up until recently, she’d found it “hard to shake a certain protectiveness” of the cast when she’d known them since they were around 10 years old — said.

A spokesperson for Watson didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for comment on Rowling’s post.