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“Harry Potter” star Emma Watson<\/a> says she treasures her relationship with JK Rowling<\/a>, despite their conflicting views on transgender rights.<\/p>\n In a sit-down interview<\/a> for the \u201cOn Purpose with Jay Shetty\u201d podcast posted Wednesday, the actor who brought Hermione Granger to life on screen addressed her feelings about the “Harry Potter” creator and author.<\/p>\n When asked by Shetty how she’s coping with Rowling saying”extremely hurtful” things about her after their public break over transgender issues, Watson said that she still thinks fondly of Rowling.<\/p>\n \u201cI really don\u2019t believe that by having had that experience, and holding the love and support and views that I have, mean that I can\u2019t and don\u2019t treasure Jo and the person that I had personal experiences with.\u201d<\/p>\n She continued, saying that she hopes \u201cpeople who don\u2019t agree with my opinion will love me, and I hope I can keep loving people who I don\u2019t necessarily share the same opinion with.\u201d<\/p>\n A representative for Rowling did not immediately respond to an NBC News request for comment.<\/p>\n Watson\u2019s comments come after years of Rowling\u2019s back and forth with Watson and other \u201cHarry Potter\u201d stars over their differing views on transgender and women\u2019s rights.<\/p>\n Rowling has faced criticism<\/a> for years for her comments about transgender people. In 2020, she published a roughly 3,600-word essay<\/a> in which she questioned whether the growing number of people who identify as transgender are part of what she described as a \u201ccontagion<\/a>\u201d fueled by social media.<\/p>\n In 2024, Rowling refused to acknowledge the existence of trans children. She stated on X<\/a>, “There are no trans kids. No child is \u2018born in the wrong body.\u2019” <\/p>\n “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe responded to Rowling’s views<\/a> in 2021 with an essay of his own, where he declared “transgender women are women.” Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley in the series, has also positioned himself<\/a> as a supporter of trans rights. <\/p>\n And Watson has also come out firmly in support of trans people in the wake of Rowling’s comments. <\/p>\n Shortly after Rowling’s 2020 essay, Watson wrote in a series of posts on X<\/a> that “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.”<\/p>\n “I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are,” she said. <\/p>\n