Emma Watson says she could ‘never cancel’ JK Rowling after author told her to ‘save her apologies'
Warning: This article contains discussion of discrimination against the trans community which some readers may find distressing.
Emma Watson has just sat down for her first podcast and her first long-form conversation in over five years with Jay Shetty in a new video uploaded yesterday (24 September).
During the lengthy chat, the 35-year-old actress, who played Hermione Granger in the beloved Harry Potter film franchise, which was based on the books written by JK Rowling, revealed why she could 'never cancel' Rowling after the author told her to 'save her apologies'.
Rowling, 60, has a long history of making anti-transgender comments, as well as supporting others with transphobic views, with Watson publicly opposing such viewpoints.
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Watson, however, has now addressed the state of her relationship with Rowling, explaining: "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.
"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 to come back to our earlier thing. Like I just don't think these things are either or."
The activist continued: "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.
"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."
Explaining her beliefs that 'no one is disposable', Watson outlined: "And everyone, as far as possible, whatever the conversation is, should and can be treated with, at the very least, dignity and respect."
Reflecting on the 'thing [she's] most upset about' regarding the situation, the English actress candidly revealed that 'a conversation was never made possible'.
When the podcast host asked if Watson is 'open for that dialogue' with Rowling, she agreed, though she said she does not 'want to say anything that continues to weaponise a really toxic debate and conversation, which is why I don't comment or continue to comment'.
Watson also mentioned Rowling's 'kindness and words of encouragement and steadfastness' towards her in the past, adding that she was given an opportunity that 'barely exists in the history of English literature' to portray a character like Harry Potter's Hermione through 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," she said.
The humanitarian, who serves as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, resolved: "I can love her, I can know she loved me, I can be grateful to her, I can know the things that she said are true, and there can be this whole other thing.
"My job feels like to just hold all of it, but the bigger thing is just what she's done will never be taken away from me."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the LGBT Foundation on 0345 3 30 30 30, 10am–6pm Monday to Friday, or email [email protected]
Topics: Celebrity, Emma Watson, Harry Potter, JK Rowling, TV And Film, LGBTQ,
Rhiannon Ingle