'Sorry, but that was irresistible,' J.K. Rowling takes a swipe at ‘Harry Potter’ stars

Los Angeles: Author J.K. Rowling, famed for the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise, has sparked controversy once again with a cryptic post on her social media.

Many netizens believe her post is aimed at former ‘Harry Potter’ stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, according to Mirror.co.uk.

The 59-year-old author, who has 14.3 million followers, responded to a question asking which actor or actress instantly ruins a movie by writing, "Three guesses. Sorry, but that was irresistible."

As reported by Mirror.co.uk, Rowling ended her post with three laughing emojis, which many interpreted as a subtle jab at the actors who portrayed the iconic characters in her beloved franchise. Tensions between Rowling and the trio have been building over the years, especially due to her controversial views on trans rights.

In 2022, following the publication of the Cass report on gender treatment in the UK, which recommended halting puberty blockers for children, Rowling took to social media to express her strong opposition to the support for gender transitioning, particularly for minors.

At the time, she publicly stated that she could not "forgive" Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and other public figures who had "cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights."

Her remarks came after Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson had been outspoken in their support for the trans community. Rowling, on the other hand, has been a vocal critic of allowing children to transition, repeatedly calling on those who support the practice to apologise to "traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single-sex spaces."

Rowling's comments on trans rights have sparked significant backlash, with many accusing her of promoting harmful rhetoric. After the release of the Cass report, she described it as a "watershed" moment, claiming it "lays bare the tragedy" of allowing children to transition.

In a tweet, Rowling wrote, "Not safe, I’m afraid," when someone suggested that Radcliffe and Watson owed her "a very public apology... safe in the knowledge that you will forgive them."

She added, "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."

--IANS