Nobody's perfect, so everyone eventually slips up and says something out of line in an interview. Proving he really does work with extremes, Liam Neeson took things a step further, saying he wanted to murder a random black man after his friend was raped while promoting the film Cold Pursuit. The comments launched a lengthy media shitstorm, and now Neeson has finally apologized.
Neeson shared a statement today explaining that he was sorry for the pain he had caused with his comments.
"Over the last several weeks, I have reflected on and spoken to a variety of people who were hurt by my impulsive recounting of a brutal rape of a dear female friend nearly 40 years ago and my unacceptable thoughts and actions at that time in response to this crime," he wrote. "The horror of what happened to my friend ignited irrational thoughts that do not represent the person I am. In trying to explain those feelings today, I missed the point and hurt many people at a time when language is so often weaponized and an entire community of innocent people are targeted in acts of rage."
He continued: "What I failed to realize is that this is not about justifying my anger all those years ago, it is also about the impact my words have today. I was wrong to do what I did. I recognize that, although the comments I made do not reflect, in any way, my true feelings nor me, they were hurtful and divisive. I profoundly apologize."
The initial comments divided public views of Neeson. Lily Allen dedicated her song "Fuck You" to him, while his Widows co-star Michelle Rodriguez came to his defence.
Neeson shared a statement today explaining that he was sorry for the pain he had caused with his comments.
"Over the last several weeks, I have reflected on and spoken to a variety of people who were hurt by my impulsive recounting of a brutal rape of a dear female friend nearly 40 years ago and my unacceptable thoughts and actions at that time in response to this crime," he wrote. "The horror of what happened to my friend ignited irrational thoughts that do not represent the person I am. In trying to explain those feelings today, I missed the point and hurt many people at a time when language is so often weaponized and an entire community of innocent people are targeted in acts of rage."
He continued: "What I failed to realize is that this is not about justifying my anger all those years ago, it is also about the impact my words have today. I was wrong to do what I did. I recognize that, although the comments I made do not reflect, in any way, my true feelings nor me, they were hurtful and divisive. I profoundly apologize."
The initial comments divided public views of Neeson. Lily Allen dedicated her song "Fuck You" to him, while his Widows co-star Michelle Rodriguez came to his defence.