Eddie Redmayne has got himself on the receiving end of criticism after he slammed the "absolutely disgusting" online "vitriol" against JK Rowling over her controversial stand on transgender rights.

Eddie Redmayne, who previously expressed disagreement with JK Rowling's anti-trans comments, said in a recent interview with Daily Mail that he is alarmed by the vitriol hurled at the author on social media while noting that the insults to trans people are "equally disgusting."

The 38-year-old, who knows Rowling through playing Newt Scamander in her "Fantastic Beasts" films and is currently shooting the third movie in the franchise, told the outlet that he wrote a private note to the "Harry Potter" author after seeing the hatred against her on social media. Redmayne also admitted that his "many trans friends and colleagues" are "having their human rights challenged around the world and facing discrimination on a daily basis."

The comments have not gone down well with the social media users, who are calling him out for defending the backlash against the author who sparked outrage with a series of "anti-trans" posts on menstruation and gender identity.

Several social media users reprimanded Redmayne for equating the ongoing abuse of transgender individuals to Rowling's trolling by comparing them as "equally disgusting." Meanwhile, others recalled the previous criticism against the actor when he was called out for playing a transgender woman in "The Danish Girl" arguing the role which earned him an Oscar nomination should have been given to a transgender woman.

"Remember when Eddie Redmayne played a trans woman and a bunch of us said that there's a problem with cis men playing trans women is that trans women are often framed/solidified as crossdressing men?," a Twitter user wrote, while another commented: "Love it when a cis man cashes in on playing a trans woman and then does nothing to support trans people in any way apart from "I have trans friends" and "they're getting a lot of abuse, eh?"

Meanwhile, some social media users are defending Redmayne arguing that the father-of-two has repeatedly condemned Rowling's comments. One wrote: "So wait, people are mad at Eddie Redmayne, for, get this, saying that JK Rowling's comments were disgusting, but she shouldn't get death threats over them. He can condemn her comments, but also say that people shouldn't threaten to kill her. I mean seriously guys?"

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Eddie Redmayne in "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" Warner Bros

In a statement issued to Variety back in June Redmayne had said: "As someone who has worked with both J.K. Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand. I disagree with Jo's comments."