Spike Lee is shocked by Liam Neeson's confession that he looked to beat up a random black person after he learned that his friend was raped. In an interview on The Andrew Marr Show, Lee said he had no idea why Neeson felt compelled to share that particular story.
“What a crazy, bizarre world we live in,” Lee said. “I’ve not spoken to Liam. … I don’t know why he did it, but he did it, so …”
Last week, Neeson revealed in an interview with The Independent that he walked around with a club after learning that the person who raped his friend was black, saying that he hoped a "black bastard" would "have a go at me about something … so that I could kill him."
Lee couldn't figure out what possessed Neeson to share the anecdote.
“I know he’s Catholic. Is this a form of confession?” Lee said.
Neeson said that the event in question was in the past and said that his reaction to the situation was "horrible." The Northern Irish actor said that he understands the desire to exact revenge but that his experience growing up during The Troubles showed him that it's not a healthy thing to do.
"I understand that need for revenge, but it just leads to more revenge, to more killing and more killing, and Northern Ireland’s proof of that,” he said.
Lee admitted that he had considered casting Neeson in a project that never got off the ground, adding that he would not cast the actor if the project came back today.
“We haven’t got the money for that film, but one day we will,” he said. “But I don’t think I’ll be going back to him. He’s too old now. That was a long time ago. It’s bad all around.”
