Liam Neeson defends Dustin Hoffman, gets slammed

by Lorraine Andrews | January 13, 2018 | 23:07
Liam Neeson defends Dustin Hoffman, gets slammed

The Hollywood actor was in studio with Ryan Tubridy on Friday Night's Late Late Show to talk about his latest action flick The Commuter when he made the remarks. "There are some people - famous people - being suddenly accused of touching some girl's knee or something, and suddenly have been dropped from their program or something".

Neeson brought up the case of American radio personality Garrison Keillor, who was sacked from his job with Minnesota Public Radio over allegations of inappropriate behavior.

According to the actor, the incident regarding Keillor differed from those involving Kevin Spacey, who was disgraced after news broke of him allegedly displaying inappropriate behavior towards a then 14-year-old Anthony Rapp in 1986, and Harvey Weinstein.

Liam Neeson thinks the worldwide "Me Too" reckoning of sexual harassment and assault has turned into a "witch-hunt" that has gone too far, and that its advocates are going after men accused of "childhood stuff" and "touching some girl's knee, or something". "I'm not saying I've done similar things to what [Hoffman] apparently did but it's childhood stuff".

Neeson, 65, said his fellow actor was engaging in "childhood stuff" and that anything he might have done while working as a theatre actor could have been "because of superstition".

The "Taken" actor was slammed on Twitter for his comments.

Another user wrote,"Liam Neeson on the "Late Late" suggesting that Hoffman might simply rub a co-star's breasts in superstition before a performance".


A note to men in Hollywood: You don't get to call this a witch hunt.

Neeson: "There is a movement happening."

Hoffman has been accused of sexual harassment, sexual assault and exposing himself to an underage girl.

Speaking about the wave of allegations and the emergence of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, Neeson acknowledged that it was "healthy" for the entertainment industry to face up to the problems which have been laid bare by the scandals. "But it's across every industry", he continued.

"I'm a Unicef ambassador, and very proud to be one, and I get sent facts and figures and if you read what I have read about how female labourers are being treated on farms and ranches, it's chilling". A grope for good luck as it were.

Hollywood movie star Liam Neeson was in the Aras today meeting with President Michael D Higgins.

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