Harry Potter stars Emma Watson and Bonnie Wright have today been accused of 'callousness' and 'biting the hand that fed' them after choosing to slam JK Rowling just hours after the author opened up about her violent first husband and a secret sexual assault.

Miss Watson, 30, who found fame as Hermione Granger, and Miss Wright, 29, who played Ginny Weasley, have both intervened in the row that has seen Ms Rowling accused of transphobia.

Critics have slammed the timing of their social media posts declaring their 'love' for trans women hours after the author spoke about escaping her 'violent marriage' to Portuguese TV journalist Jorge Arantes and also revealed she was seriously sexually assaulted as a young woman. 

One supporter said in a tweet aimed at Miss Watson: 'I've never seen someone bite the hand that fed them so callously.

She just disclosed her sexual assault and this is your response. Your "feminism" is back to front. It's a joke'. Others replying to Miss Wright said: essaytyper 'You clearly haven't read JK's essay' while another said: 'You would have been nothing without her. Shame on you'. 

The Harry Potter stars weighed in just four hours after JK Rowling's essay was published.

Emma Watson chose to speak out on Twitter, telling her 29.1million Twitter followers: '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.' 

Miss Watson, who is also the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, wrote: '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.' In a third tweet named two charities to which she donates, Mermaids and Mama Cash, whose work includes supporting trans people, adding: 'If you can, perhaps you'll feel inclined to do the same.' Within half an hour her posts had been 'liked' more than 100,000 times and the total has reached 1.2million within 12 hours. 

Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley in four of the Harry Potter films, tweeted from Los Angeles last night: 'If Harry Potter was a source of love and belonging for you, that love is infinite and there to take without judgment or question. Transwomen are Women. I see and love you, Bonnie x'.    

The British-born actresses, who now both live in the US, have joined Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe in criticising of Ms Rowling, 54, who was accused of transphobia after implying that only women can menstruate.

Eddie Redmayne, who starred in the Harry Potter spin-off films Fantastic Beasts, also said he wants to make 'absolutely clear' he does not agree with her. 

As the row over JK Rowling's words continue, it also emerged today:

• A UK school has dropped plans to name one of its houses after JK Rowling, claiming the novelist was 'no longer an appropriate role model for our community'; 
• Warner Bros, the Hollywood studio behind the blockbuster Harry Potter films, has finally responded to the JK Rowling controversy after she was accused of being transphobic. In a statement, it said: 'The events in the last several weeks have firmed our resolve as a company to confront difficult societal issues;
• The author has asked for 'empathy' as she is bombarded with abuse over implying only women can menstruate, describing her own history of physical and sexual abuse;
• Daniel Radcliffe and Eddie Redmayne were first to criticise her comments - but Mr Radcliffe denied it was a 'row' with the author.

JK Rowling in 2002 with Miss Watson and Miss Wright, who have decided to add fuel to the fire hours after the author's statement

Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Bonnie Wright, who played Ginnie Weasley, chose to intervene hours after Ms Rowling's extraordinary essay

Their tweets have been criticised - especially as Miss Wright suggested in her tweets that there had been many Harry Potter fans alienated by Ms Rowling's tweets

On Wednesday, the author revealed in a 3,500-word blog post that she was a 'domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor' and was in a 'violent' first marriage to Portuguese journalism student Jorge Arantes.

Pictured: The former couple with their daughter Jessica, who is now 26 and was cared for by Ms  Rowling alone before she married her second husband Neil

Ms Rowling made her astonishing revelations, describing herself as 'a domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor' in a 3,663 word essay posted on her personal website on Wednesday

Yesterday evening JK revealed she was seriously sexually assaulted as a young woman, and beaten by her first husband, as she launched a blistering crusade against the dangers of transgender activism. 

Opening up her heart yesterday JK Rowling said that despite her enormous wealth of an estimated £795million from her Harry Potter books and films, she described how the sex attack left her anxious being alone and if someone approaches her from behind.

He said: The scars left by violence and sexual assault don't disappear, no matter how loved you are, and no matter how much money you've made'.  

The Harry Potter author, who wrote the early books as a single mother to daughter Jessica, now 26, also told of suffering 'domestic abuse' as she opened up about the scars of her past as she declared 'deep concerns' about the pressures young people now face to transition to another gender.  

She now also has son David, 17, and daughter Mackenzie, 15, with her GP husband Neil Murray, who she said last night is 'a truly good and principled man' who had made her 'safe and secure in ways I never in a million years expected to be'.

Watson and Wright joined Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe in his criticism of Miss Rowling, 54, who was accused of being anti-trans after implying only women can menstruate.

Radcliffe apologised to those who 'feel their experience of the [Harry Potter] books has been tarnished' and said he was 'deeply sorry for the pain'.

Eddie Redmayne has become the latest actor to condemn JK Rowling's views on transgender people - saying he wants to make 'absolutely clear' he does not agree with her.

The actor, 38, who starred in the Harry Potter spin-off films Fantastic Beasts, said trans people should be allowed to 'live their lives peacefully'.

Redmayne, who was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of a trans woman in The Danish Girl, said in a statement: 'Respect for transgender people remains a cultural imperative and over the years I have been trying to constantly educate myself.

This is an ongoing process.

'As someone who has worked with both JK Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand. I disagree with Jo's comments.' The father-of-two added: 'Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid.

I would never want to speak on behalf of the community but I know that my dear transgender friends and colleagues are tired of this constant questioning of their identities, which all too often results in violence and abuse.'

Harry Potter stars have lined up to criticise JK Rowling, pictured with her second husband Neil Murray, an Edinburgh GP, after she was accused of transphobia despite her revealing about how she was a victim of domestic abuse and sexual assault

Turbulent: JK Rowling with first husband Jorge Arantes, who has admitted to 'slapping' her during their short and unhappy marriage