Knightley’s comments come weeks after Rowling blasted Harry Potter star Emma Watson and accused her of having poured “more petrol on the flames” of the abuse she has been subjected to, even though the 35-year-old actress insisted she “treasures” Rowling despite their differing opinions.
Rowling has suggested that Watson and her co-stars Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint – who starred as Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley respectively in the film franchise – had used their connection to Harry Potter to act as “de facto spokespeople” for the series.
In a lengthy statement posted on social media, the 60-year-old author wrote: “Emma and Dan in particular have both made it clear over the last few years that they think our former professional association gives them a particular right – nay, obligation – to critique me and my views in public.
“Years after they finished acting in Potter, they continue to assume the role of de facto spokespeople for the world I created.”
Rowling explained that she feels “protective” of the Harry Potter trio – who she has known since they were just 10 years of age – but can no longer stay silent on their criticism of her views.
She said: “When you’ve known people since they were 10 years old it’s hard to shake a certain protectiveness.
“Until quite recently, I hadn’t managed to throw off the memory of children who needed to be gently coaxed through their dialogue in a big scary film studio.
“For the past few years, I’ve repeatedly declined invitations from journalists to comment on Emma specifically, most notably on the Witch Trials of JK Rowling. Ironically, I told the producers that I didn’t want her to be hounded as the result of anything I said ...
“The greatest irony here is that, had Emma not decided in her most recent interview to declare that she loves and treasures me – a change of tack I suspect she’s adopted because she’s noticed full-throated condemnation of me is no longer quite as fashionable as it was – I might never have been this honest.
“Adults can’t expect to cosy up to an activist movement that regularly calls for a friend’s assassination, then assert their right to the former friend’s love, as though the friend was in fact their mother, Emma is rightly free to disagree with me and indeed to discuss her feelings about me in public – but I have the same right, and I’ve finally decided to exercise it.”
