"I was wrong to do what I did."
Liam Neeson has issued a lengthy apology following comments he made in a recent interview,
where he stated that he wanted to kill a "black bastard", a number of years ago.
The interview with the Independent took place in February, and Neeson was widely criticised for his comments following its release.
In a statement issued to
Variety, the Northern Irish actor spoke about how, on reflection, he states that he regrets the impact his words have had today.
He said:
"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.
"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.
"What I failed to realise 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 apologise."
