Addressing the backlash the 'Cold Pursuit' actor faced after he opened up about his past attempt on vengeance, the co-host of 'The View' reassures others that her friend is not 'a bigot'.
- Feb 8, 2019
AceShowbiz - Whoopi Goldberg has defended her friend Liam Neeson, insisting he's "not a bigot."
The "Taken" actor sparked backlash after a recent interview in which he recalled a time he became a vigilante seeking vengeance like his character in new movie "Cold Pursuit". He told the Independent newspaper that 40 years ago, after a late friend told him she had been raped by a black man, he spent a week roaming the streets hoping "some black b***ard would come out of a pub and have a go at me about something, you know? So that I could... kill him."
Neeson has been doing his best to backtrack following the controversial remarks, which some have suggested spell the end of his career, and insisted during an interview on "Good Morning America" on Tuesday that he's "not a racist".
And Whoopi, who considers Neeson to be a good pal, agreed as she opened up about the scandal on her chat show "The View" on Wednesday, February 6.
"People walk around sometimes with rage, that's what happens. Is he a bigot? No," she said. "I've known him a pretty long time, I think I would have recognised, I've been around a lot of real bigots. I can say this man is not one. You can't be surprised that somebody whose loved one is attacked is angry and wants to go out and attack."
Whoopi added that it's important to acknowledge that Neeson "realised it was too dark" and "got himself help", after the actor revealed he had spoken to his priest and "two very good friends" about the thoughts.
Meanwhile, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" star Terry Crews found himself at the centre of controversy after weighing in on Neeson's situation, when he tweeted: "I believe that every person on earth is capable of the greatest good, or unspeakable evil. Liam is just describing his fork in the road?"
I believe that every person on earth is capable of the greatest good, or unspeakable evil.
— terry crews (@terrycrews) February 5, 2019
Liam is just describing his fork in the road. https://t.co/CT5HurMADE
Several of Terry's followers disagreed, with one writing: "A 'fork in the road' implies there were choices to be made by Liam and he did choose. And his choice was evil. Despicable. Repugnant. And racist. The ONLY reason he didn't get to carry out what he wanted is really because of luck. He just so happened not to find someone to kill."
“A fork in the road” implies there were choices to be made by Liam and he did choose. And his choice was evil. Despicable. Repugnant. And racist. The ONLY reason he didn’t get to carry out what he wanted is really because of luck. He just so happened not to find someone to kill.
— Clarkisha Kent (@IWriteAllDay_) February 5, 2019
It may be, but it’s true.
— terry crews (@terrycrews) February 5, 2019
I’m not defending him at all. In fact, he absolutely revealed what births a white supremacist.
But what’s worse is those who practice it and NEVER reveal it. https://t.co/QzQOFEBWPN
However, the actor later returned to Twitter to insist he hadn't been defending Neeson with his remark, explaining: "I'm not defending him at all. In fact, he absolutely revealed what births a white supremacist. But what's worse is those who practice it and NEVER reveal it."
