Michelle Rodriguez has now weighed in on the racism controversy surrounding her Widows co-star Liam Neeson, and it did not go great! While promoting his latest revenge film Cold Pursuit in an interview that was published earlier this week, Neeson made a startling admission about his own experience of wanting to seek vengeance. The 66-year-old action star recalled an incident from many years before in which an unnamed woman close to him had been the victim of a rape. When learning that the attacker had been a Black man, he revealed that for about a week after the fact, he secretly hoped that a “black bastard,” in his words, would come at him so he could “kill” him.
Rodriguez, however, slammed allegations that Neeson is racist while attending the amfAR Gala New York on Wednesday night. “It’s all f*ckin’ bullsh*t,” she said. “Liam Neeson is not a racist.” Now, it’s entirely possible that Rodriguez has personal insight into her co-star’s character that others do not, but her specific defense of Neeson was eyebrow-raising, at best:
“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. I don’t care how good of an actor you are. It’s all bullshit. Ignore it. He’s not a racist. He’s a loving man. It’s all lies.”
That’s going over about as well as one might think it would, once Twitter caught wind of the remarks.
What in the name of sweet and sour chicken is wrong with Michelle Rodriguez.
Lordt.
— Imani Gandy (Orca’s Version) ⚓️ (@AngryBlackLady) February 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/pilotviruet/status/1093531028503838721
The lack of historical context, bias blindness and willful ignorance required to open one’s mouth and say this about racism is mind boggling. https://t.co/vTdQoGSXMd
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) February 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/EnClaudeNeuf/status/1093534918972502016
https://twitter.com/TVandSheetMasks/status/1093538206098833408
Someone please tell Michelle Rodriguez that slave owners routinely raped Black women. That didn’t absolve them from being racists. Her defense of Liam Neeson is insulting.
— Stephanie. (@qsteph) February 7, 2019
Sees Michelle Rodriguez trending…checks to see why. …sigh.. pic.twitter.com/LebtIRPCNL
— You Gotta Tell Diddy No! (@danimarlane) February 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/Ankaman616/status/1093557796325474306
Michelle Rodriguez: liam isnt racist he kissed that black chick in that movie…
Me: pic.twitter.com/qse6HaJffK
— Big Girl Slay 💋 (@Biggirlslay) February 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/ashcech/status/1093545638313238530
This can’t be the kiss Michelle Rodriguez is talking about. This looks like a hate crime if I’ve ever seen one. 🤮 yuck. pic.twitter.com/njsspv3Ppr
— ❁Fat Ass Kelly Price❁ (@LaFawndah) February 7, 2019
Michelle Rodriguez doesn't know, or is willfully ignorant, of the long history of racists sexually exploiting & fetishizing black people. Even if you take that out, how many times do we have to say loving/fucking/being with a black person doesn't stop you from being racist. https://t.co/Ah4qjEtTAy
— X (@XLNB) February 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/msshanitarenee/status/1093526703203368960
Rodriguez’s remarks aside, although Neeson admitted that looking back, he’s horrified by those thoughts — it’s unclear why he decided to unburden his soul with this confession just now, and while promoting this film, in particular. He later tried to explain himself on Good Morning America but has since canceled the premiere of his film along with a planned appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.