The following is an exact quote from actor Michelle Rodriguez, which Vanity Fair published on Thursday. Rodriguez was responding to the controversy surrounding her ‘Widows’ co-star actor Liam Neeson, who said he wasn’t racist for saying that wanted to kill some “black bastard” after finding out about his close friend’s being raped more than 40 years ago.
According to Rodriguez, Neeson is not a racist, because you know, this:
“It’s all f–in’ bulls–. Liam Neeson is not a racist. Dude, have you watched ‘Widows?’ His tongue was so far down Viola Davis’ throat. You can’t call him a racist ever. Racists don’t make out with the race that they hate, especially in the way he does with his tongue—so deep down her throat. I don’t care how good of an actor you are. It’s all bulls–. Ignore it. He’s not a racist. He’s a loving man. It’s all lies.”
Not surprisingly, Rodriguez is getting slammed for what she said:
Those comments from Michelle Rodriguez don’t surprise me. During my interview with her and the cast of WIDOWS, she and Erivo discussed that scene b/w Viola and Liam.
Then Viola came with facts. Interview is here: https://t.co/rs397ri5RT pic.twitter.com/VADlshJSqV
— Yolanda Machado (@SassyMamainLA) February 7, 2019
The lack of historical context, bias blindness and willful ignorance required to open one’s mouth and say this about racism is mind boggling. https://t.co/vTdQoGSXMd
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) February 7, 2019
Folks who identify themselves as Afro-Latinx, Black Puerto Rican need to say that what Michelle Rodriguez said is anti-Black, upholds white supremacy and is dangerous. Liam Neeson represents the many white men who have sought revenge and vengeance against African-American men
— Rosa A. Clemente (@rosaclemente) February 7, 2019
The comments made by #MichelleRodriguez are anti-Black. It is like when people say Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson were in a consensual loving relationship. #AfroLatina #BlackPuertoRican #smashantiblackness
— Rosa A. Clemente (@rosaclemente) February 7, 2019
“His tongue was so far down Viola Davis’s throat. You can’t call him a racist ever"~ Michelle Rodriguez
Her litmus test for racism is a person's ability to kiss a BW, vs their confession to wanting to randomly kill an innocent Black person. Notedhttps://t.co/C1BHEJvTW1
— Shanita Hubbard (@msshanitarenee) February 7, 2019
Hey Michelle Rodriguez, Liam Neeson actually *can* be racist despite kissing Viola Davis! pic.twitter.com/0EfOnJVVwA
— AM2DM by BuzzFeed News (@AM2DM) February 7, 2019
What in the name of sweet and sour chicken is wrong with Michelle Rodriguez.
Lordt.
— Imani Gandy (@AngryBlackLady) February 7, 2019
Someone please tell Michelle Rodriguez that slave owners routinely raped Black women. That didn’t absolve them from being racists. Her defense of Liam Neeson is insulting.
— Stephanie. (@qsteph) February 7, 2019
It’s millions of us walking around descendants of slave rape and Michelle Rodriguez has the nerve to say Liam Neeson isn’t racist because he knows how to bust slobs with Viola Davis. Ridiculous!
— Exavier Pope (@exavierpope) February 7, 2019
And so on and so on and so on.
As of this moment, Rodriguez’s Twitter is pretty quiet. Her profile hasn’t tweeted since Wednesday.
For the record, Rodriguez is of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent. So yes, anti-blackness in our community is REAL. But we already told you that. Several times.
Sad and pathetic a Mexican can be a racist like this barely known actress Michelle Rodriguez who could possibly be an illegal alien! Has anybody actually seen her green card? I thought I seen her before selling oranges on the 104! She’s not just stupid she’s totally ignorant! Now that just reveals the so-called black actresses and actors when they do scenes were white people thinking that they’re on the same level how racism is actually in the hearts of female and male actors! How sad in 2019 a Mexican racist and a white racist can do a movie with a black woman and be totally racist!
Michelle Rodriguez is not an illegal alien. Her father is an American Puertorican. Fact check that dumbass.
I don’t think Neeson is a racist for this one statement following a rape of a friend of his by a black man. I don’t think how he kissed a black woman is proof of that, though. I think he was generalizing, just as I have heard black women do when they have spoken about white bitches or white hos when speaking of white women who have black men as partners. Or, horror of horrors, is it true that those black women are racist against white women?
That was the most ignorant and purely naive thing I have ever read. Marian, with all due respect you are a moron for your statement. Generalizing “I wanted to go out and kill a black man” and calling a white woman a hoe is not the same thing at all. Calling anyone a hoe is horrible, but to hear someone say they want to kill a random man from a certain race bc a person from that race raped his friend is DISGUSTING and it proves that anyone who is not black sees black people as one big blob, now individuals. It’s lit even as though he Said he wanted to kill a man! It was. A BLACK MAN. How much more sick can you get. Your amplify was weak and hurtful. As a black woman, I am offended. By you, Michelle Rodriguez, and Liam Neeson. But back to your regular ignorant programming. As you were Marian.