“1883” actor Sam Eliiott is saying sorry.
The performer, who slammed the Oscar-winning movie “The Power of the Dog” during an appearance on Marc Maron’s “WTF” podcast on March 1, appeared on a panel over the weekend where he addressed his recent comments.
“I told the ‘WTF’ podcaster that I thought Jane Campion was a brilliant director, and I want to apologize to the cast of ‘The Power of the Dog,’ brilliant actors all,” Elliott said at Deadline’s Contenders TV event on Sunday. “And in particular Benedict Cumberbatch. I can only say that I’m sorry and I am. I am.”
On Maron’s podcast, Elliott did say Campion was a “brilliant” director, but then added, “But what the f—k does this woman from down there, New Zealand, know about the American West?”
“And why in the f—k does she shoot this movie in New Zealand and call it Montana and say, ‘This is the way it was?’ So that f—kin’ rubbed me the wrong way pal,” he added.
During the weekend event, Elliott also apologized for how some of his comments impacted the LGBTQ+ community.
“I wasn’t very articulate about it. I didn’t articulate it very well,” Elliott said Sunday. “And I said some things that hurt people and I feel terrible about that. The gay community has been incredible to me my entire career. And I mean my entire career, from before I got started in this town. Friends on every level and every job description up until today. I’m sorry I hurt any of those friends and someone that I loved. And anyone else by the words that I used.”
While on Maron’s podcast, Elliott said, “The evisceration of the American West, they look like, what are all those dancers in New York that wear bowties and not much else? Remember them from back in the day? That’s what all these f—kin’ cowboys in that movie looked like. They’re all runnin’ around in chaps and no shirts. There’s all these allusions to homosexuality throughout the f—kin’ movie.”