Emma Watson Says She's 'Here for All of the Witches' at BAFTA Awards in Apparent Dig at J.K. Rowling

Jen Juneau
·2 min read
15
75th EE British Academy Film Awards, Ceremony, Royal Albert Hall, London, UK - 13 Mar 2022
75th EE British Academy Film Awards, Ceremony, Royal Albert Hall, London, UK - 13 Mar 2022

Guy Levy/Shutterstock Emma Watson

Emma Watson is shouting out her fellow witches — no matter who they may be!

At the 2022 BAFTA Awards on Sunday, the Harry Potter actress took the stage to present the award for outstanding British film to Belfast (which, coincidentally, was written and directed by her former Harry Potter costar Kenneth Branagh).

Watson, 31, was introduced by host Rebel Wilson, who said, "Here to present the next award is Emma Watson. She calls herself a feminist, but we all know she's a witch."

As she took the stage, Watson noted, "I'm here for all of the witches," as shown in video footage shared by U.K. outlet The Independent.

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75th EE British Academy Film Awards, Early Arrivals, Royal Albert Hall, London, UK – 13 Mar 2022
75th EE British Academy Film Awards, Early Arrivals, Royal Albert Hall, London, UK – 13 Mar 2022

David Fisher/Shutterstock Emma Watson

RELATED: Rupert Grint: J.K. Rowling Is "Still My Auntie" Even Though I Don't Agree with Her Views

While Watson did not provide context for her remark, she notably tweeted support for the trans community back in June 2020 after Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling came under fire for appearing to support anti-transgender sentiments in a series of tweets.

Though she denied that her views on feminism are transphobic, Rowling, 56, doubled down on her controversial standpoints in a lengthy essay shared on her website days later.

"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," Watson tweeted on June 10, 2020.

She added in a follow-up tweet, "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."

RELATED VIDEO: Transgender Actor Scott Turner Schofield on J.K. Rowling and Feeling "Invisible" in Hollywood

Watson's costars Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint also spoke out against Rowling's much-criticized remarks regarding the transgender community.

Radcliffe, 32, stated definitively in an essay for The Trevor Project that "transgender women are women," writing at the time, "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."

Additionally, Grint, 33, said in a statement at the time, "I firmly stand with the trans community and echo the sentiments expressed by many of my peers. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. We should all be entitled to live with love and without judgment."

Rowling was noticeably absent from the newly filmed portions of the recent Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special, which aired New Year's Day on HBO Max, appearing only in archival footage.