Quentin Tarantino has publicly apologised to Roman Polanski sexual assault victim Samantha Geimer after dismissing the incident as 'not rape' in a 2003 interview.
During the old interview with Howard Stern, which has recently resurfaced, Tarantino defended Polanski by saying that the 13-year-old victim was consenting.
Now, the director has apologised for his 'ignorant' comments and added that he's 'truly sorry' for not taking Geimer's feelings into consideration during the interview.
'I want to publicly apologise to Samantha Geimer for my cavalier remarks on The Howard Stern Show speculating about her and the crime that was committed against her,' he said in a statement to Indiewire.
[Samantha Geimer and Roman Polanski]
'Fifteen years later, I realise how wrong I was. Ms. Geimer WAS raped by Roman Polanski. When Howard brought up Polanski, I incorrectly played devil's advocate in the debate for the sake of being provocative. I didn't take Ms. Geimer's feelings into consideration and for that I am truly sorry.
'So, Ms. Geimer, I was ignorant, and insensitive, and above all, incorrect.
'I am sorry Samantha.'
Polanski admitted that he raped Geimer in 1977 and, after spending 42 days in jail, fled the United States to Paris, fearing a lengthy prison term. He is now a French citizen, but has attempted to have his international arrest warrant rescinded.
Meanwhile, Tarantino has come under fire recently after Kill Bill star Uma Thurman opened up about a driving stunt on the set of the samurai-inspired revenge film, explaining that she didn't want to do it but the director convinced her to.
Tarantino later responded by calling the stunt 'one of the biggest regrets' of his life.
'It affected me and Uma for the next two to three years,' he said. 'It wasn't like we didn't talk. But a trust was broken.
'The fact that she believed me, and I literally watched this little S curve pop up. And it spins her like a top. It was heartbreaking.'
Rape Crisis England and Wales works towards the elimination of all forms of sexual violence and sexual misconduct. If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information on their website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland's helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
