Liam Neeson has come under fire after candidly admitting that years ago, he walked the streets hunting for a black man to kill in misguided revenge. The actor says he is “ashamed” and learned a valuable lesson from the disturbing experience. The shocking revelation came as Neeson was promoting his 2019 thriller Cold Pursuit

Liam Neeson has come under fire after candidly admitting that years ago, he walked the streets hunting for a black man to kill in misguided revenge. The actor says he is “ashamed” and learned a valuable lesson from the disturbing experience. The shocking revelation came as Neeson was promoting his 2019 thriller Cold Pursuit.

In an interview, he described how after a close friend confided she had been r*ped by a “black man”, Neeson said he hoped a “black man” would accost him so he could murder him.

Why Did Liam Neeson Make Such an Inflammatory Revelation?
Liam Neeson
According to Cosmopolitan, Neeson disclosed his past racist feelings as part of making a broader point about revenge during the movie’s press tour. He said wanting to lash out after his friend’s rape made him understand the dark pull of vengeance.

However, Liam Neeson expressed regret at having those violent, racist impulses, saying it taught him a lesson about the need to move past hateful feelings. He said, “It was horrible, horrible, when I think back, that I did that.”

Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn
Neeson admitted he went out deliberately into black neighborhoods, hoping to provoke a confrontation that would give him an excuse to kill someone.

He confessed,

“I went up and down areas with a cosh, hoping I’d be approached by somebody — I’m ashamed to say that — and I did it for maybe a week, hoping some ‘black b*stard’ would come out of a pub and have a go at me about something, you know? So that I could kill him.”

What is Liam Neeson’s Background and Early Career?
Liam Neeson
Neeson was born in Northern Ireland and first rose to prominence with roles in films like Excalibur (1981), The Mission (1986), and Husbands and Wives (1992). His breakthrough came when he was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Oskar Schindler in Steven Spielberg’s 1993 Holocaust drama Schindler’s List.

He cemented himself as a leading man in the 1990s with roles in movies including Nell (1994), Rob Roy (1995), and Michael Collins (1996). Neeson gained major mainstream popularity when he played Qui-Gon Jinn in George Lucas’ 1999 sci-fi prequel Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

In the 2000s, Neeson starred in critical favorites like Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York (2002) and exploded as an action star with the hugely successful Taken thriller franchise starting in 2008.