Netflix‘s The Power of the Dog director Jane Campion hastily apologized to tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams on Monday for seeming to belittle their sporting achievements on the basis they competed in strictly women-only events.
At the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, Campion said she was “honoured” to be in the same room as the sisters before adding a qualification.
As Breitbart News reported, the New Zealander observed the pair were somehow not up to the same competitive standard as her.
“Venus and Serena, you’re marvels, but you don’t have to compete against the men like I do,” she quipped.
Watch below:
Campion later retreated and said it was “a thoughtless comment equating what I do in the film world with all that Serena Williams and Venus Williams have achieved.”
Campion won best director and best picture for her Western film The Power of the Dog at the ceremony in Los Angeles.
The New Zealand film-maker also won the directing prizes at the Baftas and Directors Guild Awards this weekend.
She was widely criticised on social media after her Critics Choice acceptance speech, and clips of Venus Williams’ forced smile in reaction were widely shared.
Campion apologized again when she issued a full statement addressing the matter while pleading for understanding.
“I did not intend to devalue these two legendary Black women and world-class athletes,” Campion said in her apology to the pair who have won 30 Grand Slam singles titles between them.
“The fact is the Williams sisters have, actually, squared off against men on the court (and off), and they have both raised the bar and opened doors for what is possible for women in this world.
“The last thing I would ever want to do is minimize remarkable women. I love Serena and Venus. Their accomplishments are titanic and inspiring. Serena and Venus, I apologize and completely celebrate you.”
The sisters were at the Critics Choice ceremony in support of the film King Richard, for which Will Smith won best actor for playing their father.