JK Rowling has finally spoken out about the three young actors cast in the new Harry Potter TV reboot—and reignited her feud with the original stars Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe.
HBO recently announced the new trio: Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermione, and Alastair Stout as Ron. The series is a full reboot of the original books, with a new generation stepping into the roles that made the original cast famous.
After a fan posted support for the new actors on X, Rowling replied: “All three are wonderful. I couldn’t be happier.”
This warm approval marks a stark contrast from her current relationship with the original stars, which remains fractured. Rowling has had a long-running public fallout with Watson, Radcliffe, and Rupert Grint over their criticism of her controversial statements on gender identity.
Watson and Radcliffe previously spoke out in defense of transgender people following Rowling’s tweets, which many viewed as transphobic. Radcliffe apologized to the trans community for the pain caused, while Watson said trans people “deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned.”
In response, Rowling said she would “never forgive” the pair. She accused them of supporting a movement that, in her view, threatens women’s rights and safety. “Celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s rights… can save their apologies,” she wrote after the Cass Report was published.
Radcliffe later told The Atlantic that the situation was “really sad”, adding that while he owed much to Rowling, he couldn’t ignore his beliefs.
While Rowling appears optimistic about the new actors, her past with the original stars shows no sign of healing.
