Jane Campion has apologized to Venus and Serena Williams after making a controversial remark during her Critics Choice Awards speech for best director.
Acknowledging the confession of “incredible women” Sunday night, Campion reached out to the Williams sisters. She said, “Venus and Serena, you are such miracles. However, you don’t play against guys like I should.”
Campion’s apology reads: “I made a thoughtless comment comparing what I do in the film world to everything Serena Williams and Venus Williams have achieved. I didn’t mean to discount these two legendary black women and world-class athletes. The fact is, the Williams sisters actually stood up to the men on (and off) the court, and they raised the bar and opened the doors to what’s possible for women in this world. The last thing I would ever want to do is to minimize prominent women. I love Serena and Venus. Their achievements are titanic and inspiring. Serena and Venus, I apologize and thank you completely.”
The Williams family attended the gala in support of their father Richard Williams’ film King Richard, which was the favorite of the awards season. Will Smith won Best Actor last night for his performance as Richard Williams.
Similarly for Campion, her highly acclaimed film The Power of the Dog won Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.