In the latest episode of “Atlanta” Liam Neeson deals with his past—sort of.
In a cameo appearance as himself, the “Taken” star has a conversation with Brian Tyree Henry’s Paper Boi at a bar called the Cancel Club, and addresses his racism controversy.
READ MORE: Liam Neeson Is Still Single, Was Joking About Being ‘Taken’ With A Mystery Woman
Speaking with the Independent in 2019, Neeson recounted a story from when he was younger, when a friend of his was raped, and he went out searching for a random Black person to kill in retaliation.
“I went up and down areas with a cosh, hoping I’d be approached by somebody – I’m ashamed to say that – and I did it for maybe a week, hoping some ‘Black bastard’ would come out of a pub and have a go at me about something, you know? So that I could kill him,” he said at the time.
They got Liam Neeson talking about his racist comment at a place called “Cancel Club” on the newest episode of #AtlantaFX 😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/1iLI4gMRqh
— Piñata Farms 🪅 (@pinatafarms) May 6, 2022
“You might have read about my transgression,” Neeson says in the clip from the “Atlanta” episode. “You know, what I said about what I wanted to do to a Black guy, any Black guy, when I was a younger man. A friend of mine had been raped, and I acted out of anger.”
He continues, “It honestly frightens me. I thought people knowing who I once was would make clear who I am, who I’ve become. But, with all that being said, I am sorry. I apologize if I hurt people.”
Paper Boi then tells him, “Between you and me, I still f**k with ‘Taken’. S**t man, look, it’s good to know that you don’t hate Black people now.”
But at that moment, the scene takes a turn, and Paper Boi begins to realize maybe this wasn’t the happy heart-to-heart he thought.
“What? No, no, no, no, I can’t stand the lot of you,” Neeson says, with total deadpan. “Well, now I feel that way, because you tried to ruin my career. Didn’t succeed, mind you. However, I’m sure it one day I’ll get over it. But until then, we are mortal enemies,” adding, “I’ll see you around, big lad.”
“But didn’t you learn that you shouldn’t say s**t like that?” Paper Boi asks.
“Aye,” Neeson tells him. “But I also learned that the best and worst part about being white is you don’t have to learn anything if you don’t want to.”
READ MORE: Liam Neeson Is ‘Still Coming To Terms’ With Hearing Neighbour’s Domestic Abuse As A Child
On Twitter, the scene garnered a mixed response from fans, with some finding it incisive and hilarious, while others took it as inadequately dealing with Neeson’s history.
Aight I gotta catch up cause this clip is hilarious 😭😭😭 https://t.co/atrh66Fm8z
— Multiverse of Sadness (@UchihaTril_) May 6, 2022
This aint it https://t.co/2b6fj52c7r
— Sampson Simpson (@MynameisFace) May 6, 2022
Glover have new writers or something , this season of Atlanta no where near the body of work as the other 2. Just been weird https://t.co/7beV856WFm
— deem (@Meekio5) May 6, 2022
Lmaooo looks like I’ll be tuning in. https://t.co/YiDgYU84f2
— ⚡️ (@HermesAvatar) May 6, 2022
3rd and 4th seasons of shows are starting to look like a real curse https://t.co/dGUhTGLV2N
— “cursing” is just sentence seasoning (@brandsdale) May 6, 2022
this is so genius how the hell did they get this lined up? 😅 https://t.co/zf5IE2kCjj
— jay green (@thereal_jwoww) May 6, 2022
This one of them “over your head” moments for Glover fanatics. But it’s really just rehabbing a guy that was roaming the street with a bat looking for “Black bastards” lmao. Genius or whatever. https://t.co/cBuqNWWsnW
— Zay&M (@Noel__Sankara) May 6, 2022
Neeson also recently appeared in a cameo as a police inspector in the new season of the comedy “Derry Girls”.