Award-winning film director Jane Campion has apologised to tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams after saying they “don’t play against the guys like I do”.
The 67-year-old New Zealander made the “thoughtless” comments – which were branded “racist” by some fans - as she accepted a Critics Choice Award on Sunday.
But she later issued a statement saying sorry for her remarks following a public backlash.
The Power of the Dog director said: “I made a thoughtless comment equating what I do in the film world with all that Serena Williams and Venus Williams have achieved.
“I did not intend to devalue these two legendary black women and world-class athletes.”
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She continued: “The fact is the Williams sisters have, actually, squared off against men on the court (and off).
“They have both raised the bar and opened doors for what is possible for women in this world.”
Jane said the “last thing” she would ever want to do is “minimise remarkable women”.
“I love Serena and Venus,” she added. “Their accomplishments are titanic and inspiring.
She ended the statement: “I apologise and completely celebrate you.”
As Jane made the original comments while accepting her Best Director award, an uncomfortable looking Serena and Venus looked on from the audience.
The sisters were also at the Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles to support the film King Richard about their lives, starring Will Smith as their father.
The movie charts their childhood and rise to become international tennis champions.
Neither of the sisters - who have won 122 titles between them, including competing against men during doubles events - have publicly responded to Jane’s comments or the apology.
But fans of the tennis superstars were quick to voice their opinions on Jane’s comments online.
Black actress Jodie Turner-Smith tweeted: “Jane taking time out of her best director speech to tell two Black women that she is more oppressed than them is PEAK white feminism.”
Other Twitter users were quick to agree, with one saying: “The nerve of Jane Campion to suggest her journey is harder than that of two Black women who’ve overcome racism, sexism and classism in one of the whitest richest sports in the world to become CHAMPIONS again and again is why I have trust issues with white feminists.”
Another said: “White women centring themselves over Black women is so normalised.
“Jane Campion served Serena and Venus a backhand with her full chest. This was so unnecessary, petty & ugly. She couldn’t achieve what they have with barriers faced in White male dominated tennis sport.”
A third added: “There is literally nothing funny about an old white woman raising herself & her accomplishments up by stepping on black women & their accomplishments.”
While a fourth commented: “That clip of Jane Campion should be used in anti-racism space as an example of what daily racism looks like.”
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