Michelle Rodriguez Apologizes for Liam Neeson Comments

Michelle Rodriguez has apologized for her comments in defense of Liam Neeson, in which she claimed the actor could not be racist given how he kissed Viola Davis in ‘Widows.’

“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,” Rodriguez wrote on Instagram. “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.” 

During an interview with Vanity Fair, Rodriguez claimed that Neeson isn’t racist on account of the passion he exhibited while making out with Viola Davis in the film Widows. “Dude, have you watched Widows? His tongue was so far down Viola Davis’s throat. You can’t call him a racist ever. Racists don’t make out with the race that they hate, especially in the way he does with his tongue—so deep down her throat,” the actress told the magazine. 

Rodriguez drew substantial criticism for her comments, leading many users on Twitter to call out the actress for her ignorant example. The acclaimed television producer Shonda Rhimes called out Rodriguez for her display of “willful ignorance.”

Neeson has been embroiled in a controversy after he admitted to wanting to indiscriminately assault a black man for revenge after a friend of his was raped. The actor’s racist admission prompted widespread response and led many fellow celebrities to condemn the actor’s actions.