Neeson: I’m NOT a racist
Neeson speaks out after revealing he once wanted to kill a black man
LIAM Neeson yesterday insisted he is not a racist after revealing he once searched for a “black b ***** d” to kill after a close friend was raped.
Neeson, 66, spoke out on US television amid a continuing backlash over his remarks, which came as he promoted his latest revenge movie Cold Pursuit.
The Hollywood star has come under intense criticism, but former footballer and anti-racism campaigner John Barnes spoke out in Neeson’s defence, saying his words had been “spun”.
Neeson, who appeared on Good Morning America, said his response to a friend’s rape ordeal nearly 40 years ago had shocked him, and he got help for his anger problem.
Giving more details, he said: “I asked her, did you know the person? ‘No’. His race? She said that he was a black man. I thought, OK. And after that there were some nights I went deliberately to black areas in this city looking to be set upon so I could unleash physical violence.”
He continued: “It really shocked me, this primal urge and it hurt me.
“I did seek help. I went to the priesthood, had my confession, I was reared Catholic.”
Neeson went on to say he resolved his problem by power walking for two hours a day. He then said: “I’m not, I’m not racist.”
Questioned further by host Robin Roberts, Neeson said he would have responded in the same way if his friend’s attacker was “Irish, or Scot, or a Brit or a Lithuanian.” He added: “I was trying to stand up for my dear friend in this terrible, medieval fashion.
“I’m a fairly intelligent guy and that’s why it kinda shocked me when I came down to earth after having these horrible feelings.”
Neeson, who revealed his friend died five years ago, said he was brought up surrounded by bigotry in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
He added: “We all pretend we’re all politically correct, but sometimes you just scratch the service and you discover this racism and bigotry, and it’s there.”
The star first sparked controversy this week when he told an interviewer he went out armed with a cosh, hoping a black person would provoke him.
He said: “I’m ashamed to say that I did it for a week hoping some [gesturing in the air with his fingers] ‘black b ***** d’ would come out of a pub and have a go at me about something, you know? So that I could kill him.”
Last night producers cancelled the premiere of Cold Pursuit amid the fallout over the actor’s comments.
The screening was scrapped just hours before it was due to start.
But ex-england star John Barnes, 55, leapt to Neeson’s defence, saying the remarks were taken out of context.
Barnes said: “What he actually went on to say as well was that he was ashamed and horrified by the way he felt. He’s not ashamed and horrified about wanting to commit the act of revenge.
“He’s ashamed and horrified because that’s what he thought about all black people.”
It really shocked me, this primal urge and it hurt me. I did seek help
LIAM NEESON GIVING TV INTERVIEW YESTERDAY