While I thought perhaps 2019 was going to be the year some solid change was seen, after last week’s Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild nominations it’s become abundantly clear Hollywood still doesn’t know female filmmakers exist.

Over the years it’s been a hot topic, with impassioned speeches coming from all sides of the industry about the lack of recognition thrown the way of successful female directors and screenwriters, while the men are lauded and applauded like it’s going out of fashion.

It’s not.

And it’s time things changed – once and for all.

It was nearly two years ago that Natalie Portman got up on that Golden Globes stage and delivered the boss introduction to the ‘all-male nominees’ in the best director category. Clearly no one has learnt. Nothing has changed.

Dear God, please have Natalie present the award this year – the only saving grace to this oversight will be her clapback.

This year, the Golden Globes shut women out of the best director, best screenplay, and best drama and musical/comedy motion picture categories, with the most notable snub seemingly being Oscars-bait Greta Gerwig, who has been nominated for nowt following the critical acclaim of Little Women.

In fact, in the past Gerwig’s films, like Frances Ha and Lady Bird, have long been nominated, with Saoirse Ronan nabbing best actress nominations left right and centre for the latter.

This year? Ronan scored a Globes nomination and it got a best original score nod, but missed out on all the SAGs. And across the board Gerwig can jog on.

Little Women, which also stars the A-list cast of Meryl Streep, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson and Timothee Chalamet, was hardly a blip on the radar of The Nomination Powers That Be. Even though it scored nine Critic’s Choice Awards nominations including best picture, adapted screenplay and director for Gerwig.

While the chatters of Hustlers and its chances of awards season glory have long been touted since its September release, and Jennifer Lopez scored her due Golden Globe nomination for her role as stripper Ramona, the woman who put her on the screen, Lorene Scafaria, was passed over.

And Awkwafina, who has already been scoring the acting gongs for her brilliant role in Lulu Wang’s The Farewell, was passed over in the acting category at the SAGs (granted she did score a Globes nomination), and the film’s director might as well not exist since she also missed out on any plaudits at all.

Seems this female-helmed film wasn’t worthy enough.

I understand there are hundreds of worthy nominees and only so many places and categories, but when will Hollywood realise it’s got a real problem with celebrating anyone who isn’t a white man and start making some actual changes to how it operates and nominates?

The Golden Globes has a particularly glib history with the best director category, with Barbra Streisand the only female winner in its history, when she won in 1984 for directing Yentl.

That’s it.

The only other women to be nominated in that category are Jane Campion (for 1993’s The Piano), Sofia Coppola (2003’s Lost in Translation), Kathryn Bigelow (2008’s The Hurt Locker and 2012’s Zero Dark Thirty), and Ava DuVernay (2014’s Selma).

Cool.

It’s not like I’m asking for the bosses (who are probably very most likely not reading this) to throw these women a bone just coz – there is no point in a token female taking a nomination simply because she has a vagina and people are marching. There are women filmmakers – such as Gerwig, Scafaria and Queen and Slim’s Melina Matsoukas – who are more than worthy of a place among the men because they’ve made brilliant projects, case closed.

And, while I’m here on this slippery soapbox, not only is there a severe lack of females in the top ranking categories, but, yet again, there is still a lack of diversity in race. That was made clear last week when the director of Queen And Slim, Matsoukas, spoke about the lack of recognition her film – about a young black couple forced to go on the run after shooting and killing a racist policeman – received in the categories, suggesting voting members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association didn’t even bother to see her film during the pre-nomination screenings.

Is that the problem? Too many films, too little time? I wish it were that simple.

Yes there are projects, such as Cats, that were also snubbed, as was The Irishman’s Robert De Niro in the Globes race – it’s not just the female directors and people of colour, ok, I get it.

But be that as it may, while I keep my fingers crossed for the upcoming Oscars nominations (which often follows the same rhythm and rhyme of the earlier awards) it’s hard to ignore Hollywood still has a massive issue with inclusion, no matter how loudly it cheers on the Time’s Up movement and insists its behind diversity.

Actions speak louder than words and judging by the actions of the past week, all we’re getting is awkward silence.

Perhaps this can be used as a glaring reminder Hollywood still has so far to go in recognising women and minority filmmakers and stars, because right now it’s failing them big time.

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The Little Women promotional tour hit London this morning (16 December), serving up yet another reminder of just how impressive the cast is for this latest adaptation of the classic novel.

Celebrated director Greta Gerwig has brought together the likes of Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Timothée Chalamet and Meryl Streep for her cinematic take on Louisa May Alcott’s 1860 book.

The film has already received plaudits from critics, and was recently nominated for a pair of Golden Globes – including Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) for Ronan – with more big awards noms surely in the pipeline.

Ronan plays Jo in the new movie, with her character’s three sisters Meg, Amy and Beth being played by Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen respectively.

Ronan and Pugh both represented the film at a photo call in central London this morning, with the pair joining a selection of their castmates and director Gerwig for the engagement.

McMafia and Happy Valley star James Norton, who plays John Brooke in Little Women, was also among the stars to attend the photo call.

Chalamet, who plays Laurie in Little Women, was on hand to promote the movie again today – just under a week after wearing an all-pink suit at a Parisian screening of the film.

The Call Me By Your Name star opted for a more low-key choice of attire this morning, though, as the actor showcased his love for British music by wearing a tee of Damon Albarn’s cartoon band Gorillaz.

Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women has earned plenty of praise, and she was among the top filmmakers to be cited in the recent criticism of the Golden Globes judging panel after the organisation failed to nominate any female film directors for its 2020 awards.

Little Women is out in UK cinemas on 26 December.

Emma Watson became London’s very own book fairy as she went around hiding copies of Little Women by very specific areas.

The actress and HeForShe founder went around London planting copies of Louis May Alcott’s 19th-century novel by important statues which honour women.

Although the novels weren’t hidden very well and would probably get soaked in the rain, it was a subtle and thoughtful feminist statement.

She specifically went by Agatha Christie, Noor Inayat Khan, Amy Winehouse, Mary Seacole, the Women of World War II and Suffragette memorials.

According to the Harry Potter actress, the random act is part of a worldwide effort to hide 2000 copies all over the world, as every novel ‘has a special note from me inside’.

Uploading the pictures of her act on Instagram, Emma wrote: ‘I’m excited to reveal a global effort with @bookfairiesworldwide to hide 2,000 copies of Little Women!

‘#LWBookFairies starts today and features over a hundred different editions of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel to celebrate the release of #LittleWomenMovie, every one of which has a special note from me inside.

’38 countries are involved in the campaign, and it’s going to be the largest book fairy event ever – follow the hashtag to see where they are being hidden over the next few days! Do you believe in book fairies? #ibelieveinbookfairies’

We suddenly believe in book fairies, yes.

On the other side of London, the rest of the Little Women cast were seen serving looks at their photocall.

Celebrated director Greta Gerwig has brought together the likes of Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Timothée Chalamet and Meryl Streep for her cinematic take on Louisa May Alcott’s 1860 book.

The film has already received plaudits from critics and was recently nominated for a pair of Golden Globes – including Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) for Ronan – with more big awards nominations surely in the pipeline.

Ronan and Pugh both represented the film at a photocall in central London this morning, with the pair joining a selection of their castmates and director Gerwig for the engagement.

McMafia and Happy Valley star James Norton, who plays John Brooke in Little Women, was also among the stars to attend the photocall.

Timothée, who plays Laurie in Little Women, was on hand to promote the movie while making the emo-hipster look cool again.

Little Women premieres on Christmas Day in the US and Boxing Day in the UK.

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The Harry Potter cast reunited for a very magical Christmas and we’re feeling nostalgic.

Tom Felton – who played Draco Malfoy in the franchise – was out to make fans shriek with jealousy by uploading a picture with a couple of his old friends.

The star shared a snap of him, Emma Watson, Evanna Lynch, Bonnie Wright and Matthew Lewis hanging out together, with Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint nowhere to be seen.

He captioned the photo: ‘Seasons greetings from my school mates. @mattdavelewis & I mid debate x #gryfindorVSslytherin’.

The Gryffindor versus Slytherin made us all suddenly worry about who won the debate and whether Tom cheated due to his serpent past.

Tom rocked a new moustache – which we’re growing to like – and wore it with a casual navy blazer and trousers.

Emma wore a lacy black top and plain black trousers while Evanna matched with Tom in a navy dress.

Bonnie looked completely different – it has been a while since she played Ginny Weasley – and stuck to a festive theme in bright red checkered trousers.

The five stars looked like they never left each other’s sides for the last decade and it’s making us wish we were there to ask endless questions.

Fans were just as emotional as we were, with one posting: ‘I’m going to cry’ along with two laughing face emojis and two crying face ones.

‘Yes it’s the whole gang,’ another commented.

The only thing that would made this wizardly festive season better is if Daniel and Rupert popped out from behind the curtains to join the photo.

Emma uploaded the same photo as 32-year-old but kept it simple with the caption: ‘Merry Christmas from us’.

We’ll be expecting more Potter-themed pictures ASAP.

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Little Women has barely been out for more than a day but it’s already getting rave reviews for the stellar cast and story-telling and it’s what the movie deserves.

The movie – based on Louisa May Alcott’s novel of the same name – has just premiered and already critics and fans alike have come together to praise the amazing work done in the film.

Lady Bird’s Saoirse Ronan (Jo), The Falling’s Florence Pugh (Amy), Harry Potter‘s Emma Watson (Meg) and Sharp Objects actress Eliza Scanlen (Beth) play the beloved March sisters.

While they are joined by the infallible Meryl Streep as Aunt March, Big Little Lies star Laura Dern and Marmee March and heart-throb Timothée Chalamet as Theodore Laurence aka Laurie.

Seeing as Saoirse and Timothee have previously worked with director Greta Gerwig in Lady Bird, the good reviews confirm the energy they both bring on-screen is unmatchable.

Based in the civil war era, sisters Meg, Beth, Jo and Amy are seen growing up together in an all-female household.

As Ishani Nath tweeted: ‘Mini movie review: #LittleWomen will make you laugh with Amy, believe in love with Meg, feel deep feels with Beth and light a fire in your heart with Jo. I’m calling it now, Greta Gerwig’s latest gem will be a new holiday classic.’

TIME magazine, celebrated director Greta’s ability to make the movie feel modern while still being ‘respectful’ to its 19th-century era.

Calling the film ‘respectful and invigorating’, she wrote: ‘… With her film adaptation, Gerwig re-embroiders and reinforces that unspoken reassurance. Like Alcott, she leads by example: She has made a film that’s complex and thoughtful but that is also, at every moment, pure pleasure to watch.’

The Washington Post said similar, calling the latest version of Louisa Alcott’s classic book, ‘a nearly perfect film’, while Empire Magazine praised the film for ‘centering the narrative on grown women with real-world concerns.’

‘From the uniformly excellent performances of a talented ensemble to the just-right choices in scoring, art direction, costuming and editing, this is a stunning interpretation,’ The Wrap added.

If that doesn’t convince you to watch the adaption of a literature classic, nothing will.

Little Women has been adapted into a movie many-a-time, with the most recent one being 1994’s version starring Winona Ryder, Christian Bale, Kirsten Dunst and Susan Sarandon.

Considering the movie earned three Oscar-nominations, it seemed hard to beat.

But now, the latest adaptation has already earned 90% on Metacritic and 96% on Rotten Tomatoes so it might be time for a new reigning troupe of Little Women.

Dana Schwartz also jumped on the Little Women train, tweeting: ‘LITTLE WOMEN was extraordinary. I can’t remember the last time I saw such a beautiful, and beautifully crafted, film.’

That’s that then; we’re booking seats for multiple screenings of it.

Little Women is out in cinemas now. 

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Emma Watson has compared a storyline about book ownership in Little Women to Taylor Swift’s battle for ownership of her discography.

The Greta Gerwig-directed Little Women, which also stars Laura Dern and Florence Pugh, follows four sisters as they grow from childhood to womanhood, with one of the sisters in the story being an aspiring author.

Shake It Off singer Taylor has been embroiled in a public legal dispute with Big Machine and Scooter Braun in recent months over her past recordings. Speaking at Little Women’s New York premiere earlier this week Emma compared the drama to the story of the film, as she said: ‘It’s about believing in yourself and knowing your worth and owning your worth.’

She added to Variety: ‘Right now, the Taylor Swift situation is a great example of, you know, you’re young and you’re talented and someone wants to buy your work, but having ownership at the end of the day is super, super important because you don’t know what someone’s going to decide to do with that.’

The Harry Potter star also compared the situation to a Monopoly game, saying: ‘I think people undervalue ownership.

‘You know when you play Monopoly and you have a decision and you want to own something or get cash fast. The way to win Monopoly, everyone, is to own stuff.

‘I’m just saying.’

Good point!

In other Emma news, the 29-year-old made headlines last month when she said she was ‘self-partnered’ rather than single.

In an interview with British Vogue, she said: ‘I was like, “Why does everyone make such a big fuss about turning 30? This is not a big deal”.

‘Cut to 29, and I’m like, “Oh my God, I feel so stressed and anxious”.

‘And I realise it’s because there is suddenly this bloody influx of subliminal messaging around. I never believed the whole “I’m happy single” spiel. I was like, “This is totally spiel”. It took me a long time, but I’m very happy [being single]. I call it being self-partnered.’

Good for you, Emma!

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Emma Watson shared an emotional message from Little Women director Greta Gerwig on her Instagram and it’s got us all kinds of emotional.

Fans of the critically lauded film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel were frustrated to see Greta miss out on a best director nod in an all-male category, including the movie’s stars themselves.

However, Greta seemed overjoyed as she thanked the Academy for Little Women’s six nominations, including for best picture and best adapted screenplay.

‘I am brimming with happiness—thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you (that’s six!) to the Academy,’ Greta wrote in a post on Emma’s Instagram.

‘This film of Little Women has been over thirty years in the making, from the very first time Louisa May Alcott and Jo March reached across time and space and made me believe I could be a writer and creator.’

The 36-year-old thanked the people who worked on the movie in front of and behind the camera, before giving a special shout out to the titular Little Women, including Academy Award nominees Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen.

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‘My filming partner/wizard/genius Saoirse Ronan, you are my inspiration and my honesty and my co-captain, always,’ she wrote as she listed the young actresses, pausing to add: ‘and the fifth March sister and all around prince Timothee Chalamet.’

We’re sure Timothee will be chuffed to be involved.

She continued: ‘Writing and directing this film was an honor and sharing it with audiences has been the most sincerely heart-warming journey.

‘I hope our Little Women does for another generation of girls and women what it did for me: lights a fire to write your book, make your movie, sing your verse.’

We’re not crying, you’re crying.

Little Women landed nominations for best picture, best adapted screenplay, best actress for Saoirse Ronan, best supporting actress for Florence Pugh, best original score and best costume design.

Little Women is in UK cinemas now.

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Little Women director Greta Gerwig has revealed she and her best pal swap breast milk.

And you thought you were close with your best friend.

The star, who shares her 10-month-old son Harold with her partner Noah Baumbach, explained that she and her friend, who is also breastfeeding her child, switch up the milk to build up their kids’ immune systems.

‘We should all be breast feeding each other’s children, because actually it builds up the immune system,’ she advised.

The more you know!

The star’s not afraid to get real about mum life, admitting to Elle magazine that she thought she’d be able to keep elements of her life before she had kids – but it wasn’t to be.

‘After my friends threw me a baby shower I got given nursing bras and, while putting stuff away afterwards, I remember thinking, I’ll keep my regular bras out as well because I’ll use those sometimes, too. Like when? When is the time if they’re eating every hour and a half?’ she explained.

‘You have to believe that, alongside your new life, your older life is going to continue – and then you realise with stunning clarity that that’s not true.

‘I think you have to not know that, to be able to do it.’

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Meanwhile, after the director impressed audiences with her adaptation of Little Women, fans and fellow actors have been left confused at why she was snubbed for a best director Academy Award nomination.

Nevertheless, she’s not holding any grudges, taking to her pal Emma Watson’s Instagram to thank the Academy for the Oscar nods Little Women received overall.

‘I am brimming with happiness—thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you (that’s six!) to the Academy,’ Greta wrote.

‘This film of Little Women has been over thirty years in the making, from the very first time Louisa May Alcott and Jo March reached across time and space and made me believe I could be a writer and creator.’

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Harry Potter star Tom Felton hasn’t stopped looking for love after the rumours surrounding him and Emma Watson.

In fact, the star has reportedly joined celeb dating app Raya in his search for romance.

The actor, who played the villainous Draco Malfoy in the beloved fantasy franchise, is said to be finding it hard to find someone to connect with.

A source said: ‘Tom’s a great-looking guy with a good personality. But he’s struggled to find someone to connect with.

‘Being an actor can be a hard life with travelling and being away for extended periods of time, so he’s looking for someone who gets that lifestyle.’

They added to The Sun: ‘He also needs someone who understands what it’s like to be in the spotlight.’

Romance rumours surrounded Tom and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) last year, when Rupert Grint claimed he had seen ‘sparks’ between the pair.

When asked if he could ever see Emma and Tom together, he told Entertainment Tonight: ‘Yeah I could. ‘There was always something. There was a little bit of a spark.’

The Ron Weasley actor added: ‘But we were kids. It was like any kind of playground romance,’ also quipping that he himself was ‘spark-free’.

However, Rupert ended up finding his spark with his current girlfriend, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging star Georgia Groome, so we won’t feel too bad for him.

Emma and Tom have remained close friends after the end of the Harry Potter movies, and have shared a number of pictures together on social media, including one in August where Tom gave his friend a guitar lesson in South Africa.

And, while the actors may just be close friends, Emma, who recently described herself as ‘self-partnered’, previously admitted to fancying her co-star when they were younger.

Speaking on The Jonathan Ross Show back in 2012, the activist said: ‘Between the ages of 10 and 12, I had a really terrible crush on Tom Felton.

‘We love a bad guy and he was a few years older and he had a skateboard. And that just did it, really. He used to do tricks on it. He was so cool.’

Hermione would be fuming.

Metro.co.uk has contacted reps for Tom for comment.

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Daniel Radcliffe is quite relieved he didn’t have to deal with the pressures of social media during the height of his teen fame as Harry Potter.

The actor was cast as The Boy Who Lived way back in 2000 around the age of 11 and spent the next decade being one of the most famous teenagers, then young adults, in the world.

Now he’s opened up on his time as the wizard, comparing the pressures of being a child star to that of the fame the Stranger Things’ kids would be experiencing.

And, frankly, he’s pretty happy he didn’t have to deal with social media, alongside his Harry Potter co-stars, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as they were navigating puberty and celebrity.

‘I look at the Stranger Things kids, and I think how crazy that must be,’ the 30-year-old told SyFy. ‘But then I also think that they have always had social media accounts as part of the world that they’ve lived in, so it would probably be super-weird for them to not have it. I don’t know.’

In fact, Millie Bobby Brown sort of touches on that, as she posted a lengthy statement about turning 16 and her frustration at being sexualised so young.

Daniel isn’t all that fussed by social media today, adding he really only follows comedians as a ‘way of following all the Deadspin writers, now that Deadspin doesn’t exist anymore’.

He currently stars in Escape From Pretoria, but as well as Guns Akimbo, which sees him play Miles, who gets guns bolted to his hands after trolling those who run an underground death match competition.

While we’re absolutely loving his turn in the weird and wacky films he’s come to be known to star in (if you don’t believe us, we wrote all about it here), Daniel recently confirmed he had no deep, swelling desire to return to the role of Potter should the opportunity come up.

He told Film News that he likes his life the way it is now and doesn’t want a situation where he’s ‘signed up for one series for years in advance’.

The actor, who splits his time between New York and Fulham, London, said: ‘I don’t like say no to things, but it’s not something that I’m rushing to do.

‘I feel like those films have moved on and they’re doing just fine without us. I’m happy to keep it that way.’

Adding that he’s happy right now, Daniel said: ‘I like what my life is now. I’m not saying that I’ll never go back into any franchise, but I like the flexibility that I have with my career now.

‘And I don’t want to get into a situation where I’m signed up for one series for years in advance.’

Got A Showbiz Story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

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Little Women has followed Game Of Thrones’ drama with a coffee cup appearing in the background of a scene, as fans have spotted a plastic water bottle knocking about in the movie.

Whoops…

Eagle-eyed viewers of the film, which stars Emma Watson (Meg), Saoirse Ronan (Jo), Florence Pugh (Amy) and Timothee Chalamet (Laurie), and is set in the 1860s, have spotted the pesky bottle and a hydro flask in the background of one the scenes.

‘Laurie, played by Timothée Chalamet, was ahead of his time in ‘Little Women’ (2019). During the 1860s, he already owned a Hydro Flask and water bottle,’ one tweeted.

Another added: ‘Little women can afford having a water bottle and hydro [flask] in the background of a scene, as a treat.’

‘This is my third time rewatching little women and I just noticed there is hydro flask and water bottle,’ one more pointed out.

Turns out the March sisters were TikTok stars before their time.

It’s reminded everyone of the iconic Game Of Thrones coffee cup moment, which sent the internet wild.

During one scene, a coffee cup was spotted on a table in front of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) as she gave Jon Snow (Kit Harington) a withering look.

Game of Thrones art director Hauke Richte later told Variety it’s not uncommon for items to end up misplaced on set, go unnoticed and appear in the final cuts of movies and TV shows.

Richte continued: ‘Things can get forgotten on set.’

‘[The coffee cup error has been] so blown out of proportion [because] it has not happened with ‘Thrones’ so far.’

Meanwhile, Emilia was quick to point fingers, saying on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: ‘We had like a party before the Emmys recently, and Conleth [Hill], who plays Varys, who’s sitting next to me in that scene, he pulls me aside and he’s like, “Emilia, I’ve got to tell you something. I’ve got to tell you something, love. The coffee cup was mine!”

‘It was his! It was Conleth’s coffee cup. He said so.’

Let’s hope the Little Women cast aren’t in for a similar battle.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

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JK Rowling has opened up about a rather wild nightmare she had that involved both hammer-wielding serial killers and a lunch date with Emma Watson.

The Harry Potter author shared the ‘most elaborate’ dream she’s ever had, and we were stunned to learn that dreams could have so many sub-plots.

But then again, she did create one of the most intricate and astounding literary series of the modern age, so it does kind of make sense that her mind is that barmy.

Taking to Twitter, Rowling said: ‘Had the most elaborate nightmare of my life last night: a hammer-wielding serial killer, a female scientist working on a Coronavirus vaccine & many sub-plots, one involving rescuing an ape from a window ledge.’

Casually, she concluded: ‘In a break between gruesome killings, I took @EmmaWatson out to lunch.’

At least she had time to catch up with Emma before getting back to all the murders.

It looks like lockdown is getting to us all.

One fan asked the important questions, like where the writer and Emma – who is best known for playing Harry Potter’s best pal Hermione Granger in the film series – went to eat.

‘Emma wanted to go to a diner, but the diner looked like a department store,’ she replied.

‘Afterwards I went back to the lab where the serial killer was and Emma disappeared.

‘Possibly she was disappointed we hadn’t gone to a real diner. I know I rescued the ape alone.’

If we were the Emma in Rowling’s dream state, we’d be upset it wasn’t a real diner too, to be fair.

One person asked whether she was the scientist finding the cure to the virus, or the serial killer.

‘I drifted between passively watching what the serial killer was doing, like a ghost, and being active in rescuing the ape and taking Emma out to lunch,’ Rowling explained.

We’re thinking she should write this up into a new novel series. We’d certainly read it.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

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Although I’ve shared names with both Emma Thompson and Emma Watson, when I was growing up – before either became famous – the biggest joke that came out of my name was that my initials were E.T. 

As a child of the 80s, I became accustomed to other children in the playground coming up to me and telling me to ‘phone home’. 

In fact, I used to think my name was a bit boring. Every third child at my school was called Emma – and even my middle name of Louise was common.

It wasn’t until I got to 16 or 17 that people started responding to my name with ‘like the actress’, instead of impressions of an alien. 

I’ve often joked about my name with my parents. My mum was a teacher and wanted to call me something that would be both easy to spell from a young age and wasn’t the same as any of her students. 

It meant that my dad’s suggestion of Naomi was deemed too complicated and Emma would do the job.

Unfortunately, they didn’t predict Emma Thompson’s rise to fame with Much Ado About Nothing, Sense and Sensibility and An Education.  

The same logic was put in place for naming my brother – Phillip Thompson. As children growing up in the north west, he received his fair share of comments about having the same name as the footballer Phil Thompson who played for Liverpool and England. 

Some of my favourite stories about being called Emma Thompson come from when I had just started working as a buyer in the early 2000s when her performance as Karen in Love Actually made her a national treasure. 

I would travel to New York and LA for business trips and I still remember the collective look of disappointment when airline staff would see me walking into the business lounge, rather than her. 

I would never pretend to be the actress but I would put on my best posh British accent when booking restaurants and somehow they would always find space for me – even if moments before they said they were full. 

Hotels have also upgraded me from my name alone, although this hasn’t happened in a while.

Although I’m still legally Emma Thompson, my friends and colleagues now know me as Emma Watson. 

That’s because when my husband and I got married in 2011, we decided if we ever have kids (which we went on to do in 2014) they should have a surname that combined both of ours. 

He was Watts and I was Thompson, which became Watson. 

Funnily enough, it didn’t even cross my mind that this meant I now shared my name with a new famous person.

I had never seen the Harry Potter franchise and I chose my new surname just as Emma Watson was branching out and becoming a household name. 

I’ve found that people still react more when they find out my name is Emma Thompson than they do to Emma Watson, but that could be to do with my age group.

Nowadays, I tend to only remember I share a name with the Little Women star when I am reminded by strangers. For me, Watson has taken on a new significance. 

I run a children’s hat company called Little Hotdog Watson and last week I got a message from one of my regular customers to say she called her new baby Watson, inspired by the name. 

While Emma Watson might have been a witch in Harry Potter, it’s this moment that made the name magical for me. 

The biggest issue I’ve faced is that both my names are clearly quite popular and so it can be hard to stand out when people are searching for you online. 

Although it does prove handy when you want to avoid giving out your details to new people, knowing they’ll never be able to find you on Facebook! 

The question I’ve found that you receive regardless of the celebrity you share a name with is: ‘Ooh, do you know them?’ 

I always find it quite amusing that people think sharing a name would make me any more likely to have contact with them. 

For anyone wondering – I haven’t. If I got a chance to speak to them, I wouldn’t be most excited to talk about my name, that’s for sure. They’re incredible women and I would love to chat about their activism for women’s rights and the climate – although I’m not sure how interested they’d be in speaking to me!

People will occasionally tell me: ‘I’ve met her and you’re nothing like her’, and I never know how to respond to that. 

On the one hand, why would sharing a name with Thompson or Watson make me like them? On the other, it leaves me wondering whether what they’ve said is a good thing or a bad thing!

Overall, I think I’ve been really lucky in sharing names with two such strong and influential women.

You can visit Little Hotdog Watson here

Share your views in the comments below

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We watched the cast of Harry Potter grow up on the big screen, from the baby-faced days of the Philosopher’s Stone to their crushes and first loves in Hogwarts.

So imagine how old we feel now that one of the OG crew is a father.

Rupert Grint has become a dad after girlfriend Georgia Groome gave birth to a baby girl this week, just weeks after it was confirmed that the Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging actress was pregnant.

Much like Rupert, the whole Harry Potter gang has done pretty well at keeping their private lives out of the limelight, preferring to keep their relationships off the red carpet and social media.

However, many of the stars that shot to fame as 12 and 13-year-olds in JK Rowling’s wizarding world have gone on to have long-term relationships, get married, and even spark rumours of cast romances.

DANIEL RADCLIFFE

Daniel gained instant fame when he was cast as Harry Potter aged 11, but while he has spoken out in recent years about the struggles he faced with alcohol, he has kept much of his personal life out of the spotlight.

The 30-year-old has been dating actress Erin Darke since 2013, when they starred opposite each other in the drama Kill Your Darlings.

Joking about them having a sex scene in the movie, Daniel told People: ‘It’ll be a hell of a story to tell our kids one day because of what our characters do with each other.

‘Our characters are meeting and flirting with each other, so there is this kind of sweet record of us just meeting for the first time and flirting.’

And in an interview with Playboy, Daniel said the attraction was instant. ‘There’s no acting going on—not from my end, anyway. There’s a moment when she makes me laugh, and I’m laughing as me and not as my character. She was incredibly funny and smart. I knew I was in trouble.’

Most recently, Darke, 35, has appeared as Mary in The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and Leeta in Dietland, and she and Daniel are quarantining together in New York City. 

While there have been engagement rumours over the year, the pair remain very blasé about the whole thing, with Erin telling Vulture: ‘We’re at the point now where I’ve seen my own wedding reported several times. You do start to dismiss things you read about your partner if you’re pretty sure they’re not true. 

‘I spent a week once having to text all my family members being like, “I promise if I’m getting married, you will find out from me and not Us Weekly”.’

RUPERT GRINT

While Rupert has continued acting after playing Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter franchise, starring in the Snatch TV series and Servant and films including Cherrybomb, he’s always been the most low-key of the cast.

So low-key, in fact, that barely anybody realised the 31-year-old was in a relationship with actress Georgia Groome until they were together for seven years.

The pair were first linked in 2011 and were pictured a handful of times together over the years, including at the Dinard Film Festival in 2018. 

The same year, Rupert gave a rare insight into his personal life and told The Guardian: ‘Turning 30 felt strange. It just doesn’t feel like I’m there yet and I don’t know what the future holds. I’m just going to go with the flow, keep playing interesting characters and see what happens. 

‘I’d like to settle down and have kids soon. If I had a son, would I call him Ron? It’s quite a good name, but probably not. And Grint’s a tough name to pair a one-syllable first name with.’

Well, he had better get his thinking cap on, as he’s now become a father. 

It first emerged that Georgia, 28, was pregnant in April when she was pictured with a huge baby bump in London, and this week a rep confirmed: ‘Rupert Grint and Georgia Groome are delighted to confirm the birth of their baby girl.

‘We would please ask that you respect their privacy at this very special time.’

EMMA WATSON

Out of all of the Harry Potter cast, Emma remained the most firmly in the spotlight with her women’s rights work and roles in films like Little Women, Beauty And The Beast and The Perks Of Being A Wallflower. 

However, she doesn’t talk about her love life too much, telling Vanity Fair: ‘I can’t talk about my boyfriend in an interview and then expect people not to take paparazzi pictures of me walking around outside my home. You can’t have it both ways.’

Over the years, Emma, 30, has gone public with a number of boyfriends, including businessman Jay Barrymore, who she dated from 2008 to 2009, and Will Adamowicz, who she dated for three years after they met at Oxford University.

She then date Oxford rugby player Matthew Janney for a year, before they broke up due to Emma’s work schedule – a split she called ‘horrendous’.

After the break-up, Emma took a week-long vow of silence, telling Vogue: ‘I felt really uncomfortable. I went on a silent retreat in Canada’s Rocky Mountains to help me come to terms with the breakdown of the relationship.’

Emma went on to date tech entrepreneur Will ‘Mack’ Knight for two years, before she had a six month relationship with Glee star Chord Overstreet in 2018.

And while she has been pictured with a number of mystery men since then – plus sparked rumours of a co-star romance (more on that later), Emma is now very happily single, although she calls it something else.

Speaking to Vogue, The Bling Ring star said: ‘I was like, “Why does everyone make such a big fuss about turning 30? This is not a big deal…” Cut to 29, and I’m like, “Oh my God, I feel so stressed and anxious”. And I realise it’s because there is suddenly this bloody influx of subliminal messaging around. 

‘If you have not built a home, if you do not have a husband, if you do not have a baby, and you are turning 30, and you’re not in some incredibly secure, stable place in your career, or you’re still figuring things out… There’s just this incredible amount of anxiety.

‘I never believed the whole “I’m happy single” spiel. I was like, “This is totally spiel”. It took me a long time, but I’m very happy [being single]. I call it being self-partnered.’

TOM FELTON

Tom was the wizard everybody loved to hate as he played Harry’s rival Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter series.

But in his real personal life, he seems like a much nicer guy than that pesky Slytherin. 

From 2006 until 2008, Tom dated Aussie actress Phoebe Tonkin, best known for playing Hayley Marshall in The Vampire Diaries. 

Then, life imitated art as Felton began dating Jade Olivia, formerly Jade Gordon, who played an adult Draco’s wife Astoria Greengrass in The Deathly Hallows Part 2. 

The pair dated for eight years, with Tom telling the Express: ‘My best friend is… my girlfriend Jade. Having someone who truly understands you, where you don’t have to sugar-coat things and where most conversations can be held with just a look, is rare.’

However, Tom and Jade split up in 2016.

Since then, Harry Potter fans have speculated that a romance was a-brewing between Tom and Emma Watson, after he posted a cosy picture of him teaching his former co-star guitar in August 2019, as they holidayed in South Africa.

Considering Emma admitted that she had a crush on Tom in the early Harry Potter days, you can’t blame the fans for shipping it.

However, in November last year, the Planet Of The Apes actor told the Daily Mail that like Emma, he is ‘happily self-partnered’. 

MATTHEW LEWIS 

Matthew Lewis played Neville Longbottom in Harry Potter, and so dramatic was his transformation outside of Hogwarts that he coined a new phrase, Longbottoming – ie, the art of getting hot. 

However, The Syndicate star is off the market.

Matthew, now 30, met American actress Angela Jones at a Wizarding World fan event back in June 2016 at Universal Studios Orlando, Florida. 

They announced their engagement in December 2016, four months after Jones’s divorce from her previous husband, after Matthew popped the question in front of the Eiffel Tower.

And in May 2018, Matthew confirmed that they had tied the knot, but was typically funny with making the announcement.

He wrote on Instagram: ‘Not only did I miss @ArcticMonkeys in LA but they were performing in Italy at the same time we were there and my wife made me get married instead. Fuming.’

BONNIE WRIGHT

Bonnie played the youngest Weasley Ginny, who went on to marry Harry Potter, and in real life, she also had a wizarding world romance.

In 2010, the actress confirmed she was dating Jamie Campbell Bower, who played a young Gellert Grindelwald in the films, and the young stars got engaged in April 2011.

However, it wasn’t to be, as in 2012, Bonnie and Twilight star Jamie called off their engagement.

In 2013, Bonnie began dating entrepreneur and owner of New York and London venue The Box, Simon Hammerstein, and spoke highly of her beau the following year.

She told the Evening Standard: ‘We got on really well. That’s why we’re still together. London’s such a melting pot that you can always find lovely people. It’s nice being with someone who respects the arts so we talk about everything together.’

It is unknown, however, if Bonnie, now 29, is still dating Simon, as she has remained pretty tight-lipped on her love life.

EVANNA LYNCH

Irish actress Evanna played the ditzy but kind-hearted Luna Lovegood in the movies – but in real life, ended up dating… er, Harry’s dad.

From 2013 until 2016, the now 28-year-old was in a relationship with actor Robbie Jarvis, who played James Potter in the flashbacks in the franchise.

Evanna was last reported to be dating singer-songwriter Andel in 2017. 

SCARLETT BYRNE

Scarlett played Slytherin Pansy Parkinson in the Harry Potter films, but is now very far from Hogwarts.

In 2013, the actress began dating Cooper Hefner, the son of Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner, and two years later, they got engaged.

In November 2019, they tied the knot in a simple ceremony at the Ventura County courthouse in California. 

Cooper, Hef’s youngest son, announced: ‘Scarlett and I have made it officially legal and the two of us could not be happier. Cheers to a life full of love, happiness, adventure, and great purpose, Mrs. Hefner. 

‘I love you dearly and very much look forward to planning our wedding celebrations in the months ahead. I love you, Scarlett.’

And in March, Scarlett, 29, confirmed that she and Cooper are expecting their first child together.

ROBERT PATTINSON

Robert Pattinson may about to be the new Batman, and is probably best known for playing a brooding vampire, but before all of that he was Cedric Diggory in the Goblet Of Fire.

In the movies, Cedric dated Cho Chang – and in real life, Robert has had a number of high profile girlfriends.

In 2009, the actor was linked to his Twilight co-star Kristen Stewart, although their relationship wasn’t actually confirmed until Kristen was forced to publicly apologise when she was pictured kissing Snow White and The Huntsman director Rupert Sanders.

The pair reunited, in October 2012, but split for good the following year.

In 2014, Robert began dating fka Twigs, and the ridiculously cool couple were believed to have been engaged, but they parted ways in 2017.

The 33-year-old is now in a relationship with Suki Waterhouse, with Robert believed to have moved into the model’s Notting Hill flat, where they are isolating together. 

Robert and Suki were first linked back in July 2018. 

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Emma Watson managed to split Twitter down the middle with her posts for #BlackoutTuesday, with some criticising her for not posting more useful content while others defended her and her past activism. 

The Harry Potter actress had posted three white squares and three black squares on her Instagram feed in honour of #BlackoutTuesday, when users were encouraged to share a black square to show their solidarity with Black Lives Matter in the wake of George Floyd’s death. 

However, some of her followers were annoyed that she didn’t use her platform to educate her 57.2million followers on the issue or to post links to encourage donations. 

They tweeted: ‘emma watson has 57.1M followers on instagram, her first post about blm has over 1M likes and instead of sharing links to petitions and donations, she thought the best idea was sharing [three black squares] tf is that, open your purse, SPREAD INFORMATION.’

Others added: ‘emma watson not saying anything for the whole week and then posting a black blank pic in instagram that won’t help in anything is just the peak of white feminism’ and ‘emma watson got nearly 300k likes in 34 minutes and it was a performative activism post that doesn’t help blm. F**k her for not using that platform to share donation/petition links when she has a platform THAT BIG.’

Despite the criticism that her posts were not using her platform to the best of her ability to shine a light on such an important movement, others stuck up for her for her activism over the years. 

They posted: ‘I will not tolerate Emma Watson slander on my timeline. She has always been for human rights with a focus on feminism. She’s staying in her lane and simply saying: LISTEN TO BLACK PEOPLE #amplifyBlackvoices’. 

Others added: ‘Emma Watson has been speaking up about racism since 2015 but y’all want to cancel her because she posted 6 posts in order to amplify a movement. Don’t talk about aesthetic when your fav never address issues on their Instagram. Emma’s whole feed is giving voice to minorities.’

Another posted: ‘Imagine thinking Emma Watson is a white feminist. Emma has been uplifting black voices for years when it wasn’t a trend. Y’all are trash and I am NOT here for you dragging an ally #blackoutuesday#BlackLivesMatter’.

Others encouraged people to focus on the important issues at hand, namely the arrest of the officer who knelt on George Floyd’s neck, adding: ‘Ok before we waste our energy attacking Emma Watson and Evan Peters, let me remind you who the real enemy is.’

Emma followed up her original posts by sharing a piece of artwork just after midnight, telling her followers: ‘I was holding off posting until #blackouttuesday ended in the UK.⁣

‘The Artwork of my brilliant dear friend @fahamupecou “White Lies, Subtleties, Micro-Aggressions, and Other Choking Hazards”.

⁣She also shared the poem Broken Open by Dr Fahamu Pecou⁣, before ending her post: ‘Say their names #AhmaudArbery#BreonnaTaylor #GeorgeFloyd’.

She also shared a cover of Vogue as well as powerful quote, telling her followers: ‘I stand with you.’

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Following intense backlash for her silence, which was ended by simply posting a series of black squares and nothing else, in support of Blackout Tuesday, Emma Watson has shared a statement

The Harry Potter star was hit with criticism for the move, after previously being hailed as quite the activist – with many finding it offensive she’d not used her massive platform to share useful resources amid the Black Lives Matter protests.

After posting three black tiles, and nothing else, the 30-year-old was accused of performative activism, with one pointing out the tiles had white borders to seemingly fit in with the rest of her Instagram posts.

Now the actor has told fans ‘I see your anger, sadness and pain’ in a statement released on social media, amid the protests following the death of George Floyd, 46, who died after a police office knelt on his neck.

Sharing an artwork by Dr. Fahamu Pecou, titled White Lies, Subtleties, Micro-Aggressions, and Other Choking Hazards, Emma – who also shared a resource on her Stories for fans wanting to help – insisted she was ‘holding off until #blackouttuesday ended in the UK’ before posting.

Sharing a statement on the following slides, the actress addressed white supremacy and her own privilege, as she wrote: ‘There is so much racism, both in our past and present, that is not acknowledged nor accounted for. White supremacy is one of the systems of hierarchy and dominance, of exploitation and oppression, that is tightly stitched into society.

‘As a white person, I have benefited from this. Whilst we might feel that, as individuals, we’re working hard internally to be anti-racist, we need to work harder externally to actively tackle the structural and institutional racism around us.

‘I’m still learning about the many ways I unconsciously support and uphold a system that is structurally racist.’

She insisted she will be using her social media accounts to share links to resources she has found ‘useful for my own researching, learning, listening’.

The star went on:’I see your anger, sadness and pain. I cannot know what this feels like for your but it doesn’t mean I won’t try to.’

It’s our understanding Emma’s posts were not a reaction to backlash and she had been working on them for a while before posting.

Followers thanked the actress for her statement, after she was earlier slated for her silence as many of her colleagues in the entertainment business were using their platforms to evoke change and share educational resources.

One previously wrote: ‘Emma watson not saying anything for the whole week and then posting a black blank pic in instagram that won’t help in anything is just the peak of white feminism’.

Another added: ‘Emma watson got nearly 300k likes in 34 minutes and it was a performative activism post that doesn’t help blm. F**k her for not using that platform to share donation/petition links when she has a platform THAT BIG.’

However, despite the criticism, others stuck up for her for her activism over the years.

‘Imagine thinking Emma Watson is a white feminist,’ one supporter wrote on Twitter. ‘Emma has been uplifting black voices for years when it wasn’t a trend. Y’all are trash and I am NOT here for you dragging an ally.’

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Emma Watson has shared her support for transgender charities after JK Rowling’s ‘anti trans’ comments.

The Harry Potter author sparked furious outrage with a series of ‘transphobic’ tweets last week, prompting the likes of Daniel Radcliffe and Eddie Redmayne to speak out in support of the community.

And Emma has now seemingly expressed her reaction to JK’s opinions by retweeting an article about the different organisations that support black transgender people.

The Little Women actress, 30, shared a post by transgender columnist Paris Lees on the charities.

Paris’ tweet read: ‘Hi everyone, just a quick note to say that if you’d like to donate to organisations that support black trans women – who are having an especially tough time at the moment, and facing hostility from every direction – @VICE has compiled a list.’

Emma joins a slew of other Harry Potter alum in responding to JK’s comments, including Cho Chang star Katie Leung and Evanna Lynch, who played Luna Lovegood.

JK’s controversy began when she commented on story with the headline: ‘Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate.’

She wrote: ‘”People who menstruate”. I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?’

Her remark was immediately met with backlash, as users explained that it’s not just cis-gender women who menstruate.

JK then posted: ‘If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased.

‘I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.

‘The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women – ie, to male violence – “hate” trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences – is a nonsense.

‘I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans.

‘At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so.’

After the backlash, JK posted a lengthy essay in which she insisted she isn’t a TERF – Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist – but doubled down on her previous comments. 

The 54-year-old also revealed she is a domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor.

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Emma Watson has broken her silence over JK Rowling’s ‘anti-transgender’ comments.

The Harry Potter author sparked outrage last week with a series of ‘transphobic’ tweets, with upset fans calling her out on social media.

Her posts prompted a string of Potter stars to publicly support the trans community – with Daniel Radcliffe and Eddie Redmayne among those speaking out.

And Emma, 30, has now joined them in voicing her support.

Taking to Twitter, the Hermione Granger actress shared: ‘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.

‘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.’

Urging fans to donate to those in need, she added: ‘I donate to @Mermaids_Gender and @mamacash. If you can, perhaps you’ll feel inclined to do the same.

‘Happy #PRIDE2020 Sending love x.’

Emma’s posts come after Rowling was accused of being transphobic in a string of posts on social media over the weekend, about trans women.

The 54-year-old faced a wave of backlash on Saturday night when she took offence to an article that used the phrase ‘people who menstruate’. 

In a string of messages to her 14.5million followers, she posted: ‘”People who menstruate.” I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud? 

‘If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.

‘The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women – ie, to male violence – “hate” trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences – is a nonsense. 

‘I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so.’

In a lengthy essay shared on her website on Wednesday, the author attempted to explain her comments, insisting that she isn’t a TERF (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist).

‘I’ve met trans people, and read sundry books, blogs and articles by trans people, gender specialists, intersex people, psychologists, safeguarding experts, social workers and doctors, and followed the discourse online and in traditional media,’ she wrote.

Citing her public support of Maya Forstater, a tax specialist who’d lost her job for what were deemed ‘transphobic’ tweets, she continued: ’Immediately, activists who clearly believe themselves to be good, kind and progressive people swarmed back into my timeline, assuming a right to police my speech, accuse me of hatred, call me misogynistic slurs and, above all – as every woman involved in this debate will know – TERF.

‘… But accusations of TERFery have been sufficient to intimidate many people, institutions and organisations I once admired, who’re cowering before the tactics of the playground. “They’ll call us transphobic!” “They’ll say I hate trans people!” What next, they’ll say you’ve got fleas? 

‘Speaking as a biological woman, a lot of people in positions of power really need to grow a pair (which is doubtless literally possible, according to the kind of people who argue that clownfish prove humans aren’t a dimorphic species).’

Rowling went on to state that she is ‘interested in freedom of speech’ and has ‘publicly defended it’ in the past.

‘We’re living through the most misogynistic period I’ve experienced. Back in the 80s, I imagined that my future daughters, should I have any, would have it far better than I ever did, but between the backlash against feminism and a porn-saturated online culture, I believe things have got significantly worse for girls,’ she penned.

’Never have I seen women denigrated and dehumanised to the extent they are now.’

Addressing her trans comments, she added: ‘So I want trans women to be safe. At the same time, I do not want to make natal girls and women less safe. 

‘When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman – and, as I’ve said, gender confirmation certificates may now be granted without any need for surgery or hormones – then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside. That is the simple truth.’

Emma is the latest in a long line of celebrities who have publicly called her comments out, with Daniel Radcliffe, Katie Leung and Evanna Lynch voicing their support for those hurt by her tweets.

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Harry Potter star Rupert Grint has shared a statement supporting trans rights, following intense backlash to JK Rowling following her thoughts on the matter.

The celebrated author penned a 3,600 essay on Wednesday which followed on from criticism towards earlier tweets addressing trans women.

Now 31-year-old Grint – who recently welcomed a baby girl with partner Georgia Groome – has joined Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson (as well as Ginny Weasley’s Bonnie Wright) in speaking up for trans people.

Grint issued a statement to The Times in which he said he stood for trans rights, making many Ron Weasley fans happy right about now.

He said: ‘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.’

He followed Hermione Granger actress Watson, who wrote on social media: ‘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.’

And they both followed Harry Potter himself, as Radcliffe shared a statement through LGBT suicide prevention charity The Trevor Project.

Denying there was ‘infighting’ between him and the author, he wrote: ‘As someone who has been honored to work with and continues to contribute to The Trevor Project for the last decade, and just as a human being, I feel compelled to say something at this moment

‘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…’

He went on: ‘According to The Trevor Project, 78% of transgender and nonbinary youth reported being the subject of discrimination due to their gender identity. It’s clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm. (sic)’

Rowling was met with huge backlash over the weekend after she commented on a story with the headline: ‘Opinion: Creating a more equal post-Covid-19 world for people who menstruate’.

Hitting out at the phrasing, she tweeted: ‘”People who menstruate”. I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?

‘If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.

‘I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so.’

The criticism continued yesterday when a school in West Sussex has scrapped an idea to name a house after the 54-year-old, following her comments.

The Weald school in Billingshurst last month announced new names for five houses, and the addition of a sixth, with the changes taking effect in September.

However, in a letter to parents, deputy headteacher Sarah Edwards confirmed that the writer would no longer be given the honour – which will now be going to Malorie Blackman.

The other houses will be named Attenborough, Thompson, Seacole, Mercury and DaVinci.

MORE: Trans journalist India Willoughby supports JK Rowling amid ‘transphobia’ row

MORE: Daniel Radcliffe thinks Harry Potter co-star Rupert Grint becoming a dad is ‘weird’

So, think of yourself quite the Harry Potter buff, eh?

Despite no new Harry Potter books and films blessing our lives for years now, that doesn’t mean we’re not still enamoured with the Boy Who Lived (yes, yes, despite the chatter around author JK Rowling…).

With Harry Potter himself Daniel Radcliffe recently saying he hoped people would continue to be fans of the magical story, we thought we’d make sure we’re all across our Nimbuses and our Patronuses.

We’ve given you the ultimate Harry Potter pub quiz, in which you could craft your Zoom nights in during lockdown – but now the tables have turned.

Instead of you in the flying car, the wand is in the other hand and we’re testing your knowledge of the magical land known as Hogwarts (and beyond).

Because, after all, you’re a quizzard, Harry.

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