JK Rowling has clapped back at Hollywood actor Pedro Pascal and Derry Girls star Nicola Coughlan in a blistering nine-word tweet. The Last of Us star Pascal, 50, branded Rowling a “heinous loser” and stood up for trans rights after attending the London premiere of Marvel movie Thunderbolts* wearing a 'Protect the Dolls' slogan T-shirt.

Rowling has been outspoken about the recent Supreme Court ruling that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex, and insisted she would rather go to jail than refer to a trans person by their preferred pronouns. After the ruling, Rowling posted: “I love it when a plan comes together.”

But the backlash has come in from all sides, with Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson both condemning her comments and distancing themselves from the author. This week, Hollywood star Pedro Pascal joined in under a post by activist Tariq Ra’ouf, who begged fans: “Don’t watch the show. Don’t go to Universal. Don’t buy a single Harry Potter thing ever. It’s time to tell these corporations that transphobia loses money.

“It has become our mission as the general public to make sure that every single thing that's Harry Potter related fails... because that awful disgusting s***, that has consequences.”

Pascal commented: “Awful disgusting s*** is exactly right. Heinous LOSER behaviour.” He has a transgender sister, Lux, and has been an outspoken activist for trans rights since she came out in 2021.

Nicola Coughlan added: “Keep your new Harry Potter lads. Wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole.”

Now, however, Rowling has issued a scathing response to the actors. She replied to a tweet by James Dreyfus that read: “Thoughts and prayers with JK Rowling today, after the tongue-lashing she’s received from… um… Nicola Coughlan and… um… Pedro Pascal? (Check spelling here, ed…)

“I’m sure she’ll reflect on her ‘heinous, loser and FAT’ crimes and issue a double-spaced, written apology… any day now.”

JK responded: “I can’t be bothered to Google. Who are they?”

While some fans rushed to support the author, with one writing: “Who is Pedro Pascal? Never mind. Nobody cares!” others condemned her latest move. One penned: “Pretending you’ve never heard of Pedro Pascal is such a deeply funny way of revealing you are extremely mad at getting called out by Pedro Pascal.”