Michelle Rodriguez backtracks on Liam Neeson comments amid race row
'I defended a friend in the wrong way'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Michelle Rodriguez has back-tracked on comments she made about Liam Neeson following the Taken actor’s controversial interview with The Independent.
Neeson revealed he once roamed the streets with a cosh, wanting to kill a “black bastard” after someone close to him was raped years ago. Following outrage online, Neeson appeared in Good Morning American and insisted he is “not racist”.
:: Read the original, exclusive interview that started a global conversation
Rodriguez – who starred alongside Neeson in the heist thriller Widows – was quick to defend Neeson, saying: “It’s all f***in’ bulls**t. Dude, have you watched Widows? His tongue was so far down Viola Davis’s throat. You can’t call him a racist ever... He’s a loving man. It’s all lies.”
On Instagram, the Lost actor apologised for the comments.
“To my friends and colleagues and my fans and community: I want to deeply apologize for my recent choice of words, and poor use of example,” she wrote.
“In a pressure-filled situation, I defended a friend in the wrong way. I now realize how insensitive it was, and I had no intention of invoking such a terrible historical comparison. I have learned from this, and will grow from it.”
Speaking to The Independent during a discussion about revenge, a theme in his new film Cold Pursuit, he said he roamed the streets looking for a “black bastard” after someone close to him was raped.
Fans on Twitter have called for a boycott of his films as a result of the comments. Cold Pursuit has seemingly suffered at the box-office as a result, scoring the worst opening weekend for a Neeson-led action film since 1990.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments