The social media anger directed at Campion over her Best Director performance stemmed from one particular moment that came after she acknowledged the other nominees in the category, who were all male.
Helmer “Dog Power” then said: “Venus and Serena, you are such miracles. However, you don’t play guys like I should.”
Inaccuracy aside (tennis champions met men), Campion’s statement was seen by some as an ignorance of two successful accomplishments by black women.
“I made a thoughtless comment comparing what I do in the film world to everything Serena Williams and Venus Williams have achieved. It was not my intention to devalue these two legendary black women and world-class athletes,” Campion said Monday in a statement through her rep. “The thing is, the Williams sisters actually fought men on (and off) the court, and they both raised the bar and opened the doors to what is possible for women in this world. The last thing I would ever want. eminent women should be kept to a minimum.”
Campion’s speech, which was presented for one of the four awards her Oscar-nominated film won on Sunday, started on a positive note when Campion acknowledged the presence of many “incredible” women in the audience, including the Williams sisters.
“What an honor to be in the room with you,” she said to the couple before asking them for tennis lessons.
In a statement on Monday, Campion reaffirmed her “love” for Venus and Serena Williams.
“Their achievements are titanic and inspiring. Serena and Venus, I apologize and thank you completely,” she said.
It’s been a few weeks of ups and downs for Campion, whose film is a strong contender for best picture at the Oscars later this month.
Last week, actor Sam Elliot scathingly criticized The Power of the Dog in a podcast interview, criticizing the western for “hints of homosexuality.” The Netflix drama, however, subsequently found many defenders from commentary – among them, of course, its director. “Sorry, he was a bit of a BITCH. He’s not a cowboy, he’s an actor.” Campion told Variety in response to Elliot’s comments. “The West is a mythical space, and there is a lot of space in the range. I think it’s a little sexist.”
Hazel Tan of CNN contributed to this report.