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Emma Watson SLAMMED for taking jabs at JK Rowling while turning a 'blind eye' to pal Ezra Miller

Sources close to the actress said she's unwilling to return to the Harry Potter franchise if Rowling is involved with the project

Emma Watson was excoriated on social media after sources close to the actress said she is unwilling to return to the Harry Potter franchise if JK Rowling is involved with the project.

Watson, 32, is said to have made the decision following controversial comments made by Rowling, 56, about the trans community. However, many confronted the actress for seemingly remaining mum about her longtime pal Ezra Miller, who starred alongside her in the 2012 blockbuster 'Perks of Being a Wallflower.' Miller, 29, is reportedly on the run with 18-year-old activist Tokata Iron Eyes after her parents accused them of grooming her since the age of 12. The teenager’s parents – Chase Iron Eyes and Sara Jumping Eagle – have got a protection order against Miller but it still hasn’t been served to ‘The Flash’ star because no one knows their whereabouts.

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Giant Freaking Robot revealed in a report that "trusted and proven sources" had claimed the actress will only return to the franchise if the author, who created the series, is not involved in any way. "While the reasons for Watson refusing to come back to the Wizarding World while JK Rowling is involved are not entirely specified, the safe bet would be how controversial the author and her social opinions have become in recent years," GFR reported. "We have to speculate that JK Rowling's very public, very loud, and very constant commentary on the rights of transgender people in the United Kingdom (and broadly, the world) has made Watson not particularly willing to be further associated with her."

However, Watson's decision did not sit well with many Harry Potter fans, some of whom said she owed her acting career to Rowling. Others blasted the actress for not condemning Miller, who is surrounded by grooming and kidnapping allegations. 

"Emma Watson being close to Ezra Miller, being quiet about his child assault/kidnapping allegations— instead speaking against JK Rowling for safeguarding is everything you need to know about who Emma truly is," one user said.

Another asked, "Why does Emma Watson go out of her way to try to throw @jk_rowling under a bus, yet turn a blind eye to #BeKind to Ezra Miller?

"Just a friendly reminder that the world wouldn’t even know Emma Watson existed if it wasn’t for J.K. Rowling. Hey, @EmmaWatson you seem to be in a chit-chatty mood so I’m curious as to why you haven’t said anything about your bestie Ezra Miller yet?" one tweet read. 

"Emma Watson's skill for judging character is so horrible, being such great friends with Ezra Miller, I think I'll pass on her other opinions of others. #JKRowling," another added.

One wondered, "Emma Watson who seems to be fine with what her pal Ezra Miller has done? Not a whisper about his violent crimes?"

This is not the first time Watson has appeared to distance herself from Rowling. She made a comment at the BAFTAs earlier this year that many assumed was directed towards the acclaimed author. As Watson arrived on stage to present an award, fellow actor Rebel Wilson joked that the former “calls herself a feminist, but we all know she’s a witch." Watson then added, "I’m here for all of the witches," a comment many construed to be a tacit disagreement with Rowling's beliefs on transgender individuals.

Watson shot to prominence following her role as Hermoine Granger in the original eight movies of the Harry Potter series. She has since starred in a number of films, including the Disney live-action remake of 'Beauty and the Beast', 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower', and 'The Bling Ring'. However, she has not filmed for a movie since 2019’s 'Little Women.'