Fans think Emma Watson threw subtle shade at JK Rowling during the 2022 BAFTA Awards on Sunday.
The 31-year-old actress - who rose to fame playing Hermione Granger in the film adaptations of Rowling's Harry Potter series - had been invited to the awards ceremony to present the gong for Best Outstanding British Film.
Introducing the Beauty and the Beast star to the stage, Rebel Wilson said: "Here to present the next award is Emma Watson. She calls herself a feminist, but we all know she’s a witch."
In response to the tongue-in-cheek introduction, Watson pointed out: "I'm here for all of the witches."
Check out the moment below:Many fans took this to mean that, rather than witches, Watson is here for all women. They felt the emphasis on "all" was a dig at Rowling who has repeatedly been accused of not being inclusive of all women - namely, trans women.
Taking to Twitter, one person responded: "'I’m here for all the women'. Sly ‘lil dig at JK Rowling there, Emma Watson?"
Another wrote: "Live for Emma Watson throwing subtle shade at JK Rowling at the #BAFTAs #LGBWithTheT #JKDoesntSpeakForMe."
A third excitedly chimed in: "Was that a jibe by emma watson at jk rowling? what a QUEEEEENNN."
In the last couple of years, Rowling has repeatedly spoken out against referring to trans women as women.
In 2020, the author sparked outrage after she responded to an article with the trans-inclusive headline: "Creating a more equal post-Covid-19 world for people who menstruate."
Taking issue with the term, "people who menstruate", she wrote on Twitter: "'People who menstruate.' I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?"
A number of the stars of the Harry Potter series responded to Rowling's rhetoric, with Watson writing on Twitter: "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."
She concluded: "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."