The cameo sees Neeson playing himself as a patron at a bar called the "Cancel Club".
Liam Neeson made a surprise cameo in the latest episode of the acclaimed comedy series Atlanta, during which he both apologised for and poked fun at his much-publicised
racism controversy in 2019.
During an interview, the Antrim actor said that he once walked the streets with a cosh for days looking to kill a “Black b*****d” after someone close to him was raped many years ago.
He brought up the incident during a press junket for his film Cold Pursuit, saying he now felt "ashamed" of it.
Widely criticised for the comments, Neeson later
apologised.
The actor referenced the controversy in the most recent episode of Atlanta, the series created by and starring Donald Glover where Glover plays a music manager representing his rapper cousin Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry).
Titled 'New Jazz', the episode sees Paper Boi stumble into a bar called the "Cancel Club" where he meets Liam Neeson playing himself.
During the cameo, Neeson says:
“You might’ve heard or read about my transgression - you know, what I said about what I wanted to do to a Black guy, any Black guy, when I was a younger man.
"A friend of mine had been raped and I acted out of anger. I look back, man, it honestly frightens me.
"I thought people, knowing who I once was, [that it would] make clear who I am, who I’ve become.
“But, with all that being said, I am sorry. I apologise if I hurt people.”
Following this, Paper Boi tells Neeson he is a fan of Taken, before saying: “It’s good to know that you don’t hate Black people now.”
Neeson then responds: “What? No, no, no, I can’t stand the lot of you. Well, now I feel that way, because you tried to ruin my career. Didn’t succeed, mind you.
"However, I’m sure one day I will get over it, but until then, we are mortal enemies.”
Paper Boi then says he would have thought Neeson had learned his lesson about saying things like that, to which Neeson replies:
“Aye. But I also learned that the best and worst part about being white is you don’t have to learn anything if you don’t want to."
You can watch the clip below.
https://twitter.com/pinatafarms/status/1522509206552821760
Neeson's Atlanta cameo marks his second surprise appearance in a comedy series in recent weeks, after the actor showed up in the first episode of
Derry Girls' third and final season.
