Liam Neeson under fire over revenge plot to kill a ‘black bastard’
Northern Irish actor says he walked the streets armed with cosh following rape of loved one
Liam Neeson has sparked a race row after revealing that he went out looking to kill a “black bastard” after a woman he cared about was raped.
The Oscar-nominated actor, from Ballymena in Co Antrim, made the extraordinary claims during an interview with The Independent to promote his new film Cold Pursuit, in which he plays a man seeking to avenge the murder of his son.
“There’s something primal - God forbid you’ve ever had a member of your family hurt under criminal conditions,” Neeson said, before describing his real-life bid for revenge following the attack on the unnamed woman.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“She handled the situation of the rape in the most extraordinary way,” Neeson told the newspaper. “But my immediate reaction was... I asked, did she know who it was? No. ‘What colour were they?’ She said it was a black person.
“I went up and down areas with a cosh, hoping I’d be approached by somebody - I’m ashamed to say that - and I did it for maybe a week, hoping some [uses air quotes with fingers] ‘black bastard’ would come out of a pub and have a go at me about something, you know? So that I could kill him.”
The Hollywood star said that he finally recognised the wrongness of his actions after calming down.
He added: “It was horrible, horrible, when I think back, that I did that. And I’ve never admitted that, and I’m saying it to a journalist. God forbid.
“It’s awful. But I did learn a lesson from it.”
Nevertheless, his revelation has been met with shock, revulsion and criticism on social media.
Many commentators were angered by Neeson’s immediate focus on the race of the attacker.
“Not how old were they? How tall were they? You just asked what colour were they? I don’t care how sorry you are, Liam Neeson, that is disgusting,” tweeted BuzzFeed reporter Hannah Al-Othman.
Although generally reserved in interviews, Neeson “has a history of surprising outbursts”, says The Irish Times. Last year, he caused outrage by describing the allegations of sexual abuse that followed the Harvey Weinstein revelations as “a bit of a witch-hunt”, during an interview for Irish TV show The Late Late Show.
Neeson has not commented on the response to his latest comments.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Moldova's pro-West president wins 2nd term
Speed Read Maia Sandu beat Alexandr Stoianoglo, despite suspicions of Russia meddling in the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
2024 race ends with swing state barnstorming
Speed Read Kamala Harris and Donald Trump held rallies in battlegrounds over the weekend
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Has the Taliban banned women from speaking?
Today's Big Question 'Rambling' message about 'bizarre' restriction joins series of recent decrees that amount to silencing of Afghanistan's women
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Cuba's energy crisis
The Explainer Already beset by a host of issues, the island nation is struggling with nationwide blackouts
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Putin's fixation with shamans
Under the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Chimpanzees are dying of human diseases
Under the radar Great apes are vulnerable to human pathogens thanks to genetic similarity, increased contact and no immunity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies hang over Sydney's Mardi Gras
The Explainer Police officer, the former partner of TV presenter victim, charged with two counts of murder after turning himself in
By Austin Chen, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 24 February - 1 March
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will mounting discontent affect Iran election?
Today's Big Question Low turnout is expected in poll seen as crucial test for Tehran's leadership
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Sweden clears final NATO hurdle with Hungary vote
Speed Read Hungary's parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden's accession to NATO
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published