Daniel Radcliffe breaks his silence for the first time after JK Rowling told him and Emma Watson to ‘save their apologies’

Daniel Radcliffe has broken his silence after JK Rowling said that he and co-star Emma Watson can 'save their apologies'.

The row between the Harry Potter stars all started when Radcliffe, Watson and Rupert Grint spoke out in support of trans people after Rowling made some controversial comments about the trans community.

JK Rowling's controversial comments

Back in 2020, Rowling shared a series of tweets reacting to an opinion piece about 'people who menstruate'.

Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe with Harry Potter co-star Rupert Grint. (Anthony Harvey/Getty Images)

At the time, she posted on X: “’People who menstruate’. I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”

Harry Potter stars speak out against her remarks

In the wake of the criticism, both Radcliffe and Watson spoke out in support of trans people.

Radcliffe wrote in an essay for The Trevor Project: "Transgender women are women.

"Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I."

The controversy continues as Rowling voices her opinion on gender services for children

More recently, the debate has been reignited after Rowling made some comments about Hilary Cass' recent review on gender services for UK children.

She claimed the findings showed that 'kids have been irreversibly harmed', writing: "Thousands are complicit, not just medics, but the celebrity mouthpieces, unquestioning media and cynical corporations."

JK Rowling has made some controversial comments about transgender women and children. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The comments caused another bout of backlash, but in the midst of the all the comments, one of Rowling's followers wrote to her on X: "Just waiting for Dan and Emma to give you a very public apology ... safe in the knowledge that you will forgive them ..."

However, Rowling then replied to say that they were ‘not safe’ in the knowledge of being forgiven by her.

“Not safe, I’m afraid," she wrote.

"Celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies for traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single sex spaces.”

Radcliffe has spoken out about the author's comments. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

Daniel Radcliffe speaks out about Rowling's remarks

Following the comments, Radcliffe spoke out about the drama for the first time in a new interview with The Atlantic.

He said: "It makes me really sad, ultimately, because I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote, and the world that she created, and all of that is to me so deeply empathic.

"Jo, obviously Harry Potter would not have happened without her, so nothing in my life would have probably happened the way it is without that person.

"But that doesn’t mean that you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life."

Radcliffe also revealed that he has not spoken to Rowling in several years.

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: JK Rowling, LGBTQ+

Lucy Devine

Lucy is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, she has worked in both print and online and is particularly interested in fashion, food, health and women's issues. Northerner, coffee addict, says hun a lot.

@lucedevine