‘I don’t understand what he was doing’: Filmmaker Spike Lee tells of anger at Liam Neeson’s rape revenge remarks after the actor said he once wanted to kill a black man
- Lee told the Andrew Marr Show he hadn’t spoken to Neeson since the comments
- Said he ‘wouldn’t cast him again’ and he is ‘too old’ for the film he had in mind
- Comes after Neeson said he walked streets with a cosh looking for a black man
Filmmaker Spike Lee has criticised Liam Neeson for admitting he walked the streets hoping to murder a black man after his friend was raped.
The Taken star, 66, became embroiled in a global race row after making the shocking confession in a newspaper interview about his new film.
While some instantly branded him a racist others defended the actor – even congratulating him on his honesty.
Today Malcolm X director Spike Lee appeared on the Andrew Marr Show where he said he hasn’t spoken to him since he made the comments and wouldn’t cast him again.
Film director Spike Lee (pictured being interviewed for the Andrew Marr show, broadcast today) has criticised Liam Neeson for his controversial rape revenge confession
The Taken star, 66 (pictured at the Toronto International Film Festival yesterday) became embroiled in a global race row after making the shocking confession in a newspaper interview about his new film
He told the programme the remarks were ‘bad all round’, saying: ‘Oh yeah, I don’t understand what he was doing. It’s a crazy, crazy bizarre world we live in.
‘I’ve not spoken to Liam. I don’t know why he did it but he did it so he’s going through it now.
‘I just saw the clip, one of the clips on his apology tour, and he did not look happy.’
Asked if he would cast Neeson following the row, he added: ‘I tried to cast him one time. And so far, we haven’t got the money for that film but one day we will.
‘But I don’t think I’ll be going back to him. He’s too old now. That was a long time ago.
He continued: ‘I heard he was promoting his new movie about revenge. I know he is Catholic. Was this a form of confession? I don’t know you’d have to ask him.’
Neeson made the confession while promoting revenge action thriller Cold Pursuit, saying that he had once roamed the streets with a cosh looking for any random ‘black b******’ to kill after someone close to him had been raped.
Lee (left) spoke to Marr (right) ahead of tonight’s BAFTAs, where his film BlacKkKlansman has been nominated for five awards
Lee’s new film BlacKkKlansman is nominated for five awards at tonight’s BAFTAs in London
The filmmaker told the BBC One show: ‘People have to understand history. The Ku Klux Klan was formed to ‘save’ white, Southern womanhood …
‘Who knows how many innocent black men have been murdered, castrated lynched or harmed or spent time in jail only because a white woman said, ‘That black man raped her’.’
He was speaking ahead of tonight’s BAFTAs, where his film BlacKkKlansman has been nominated for five awards.
It tells the story of an undercover black police officer who infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan.
The director is pictured at the BAFTA nominees party (right) with producer Tonya Lewis (left) in London last night
Lee said of tonight’s award ceremony: ‘This is the first time I’ve been nominated. I’ve never been nominated before, ever.’
Neeson recently cancelled an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert amid controversy over his comments.
The actor was due to appear on the US chat show as he promoted his latest film Cold Pursuit.
Neeson attracted widespread criticism for comments regarding decades-old thoughts he had about killing a black person.
Fans on Twitter have called for a boycott of his films as a result of the comments, though some, including former footballer John Barnes and author John Banville, have defended him.