Sam Elliott is putting his tail between his legs.
The 77-year-old actor has apologized for the controversial comments he made about the film “The Power of the Dog” on Marc Maron’s “WTF” podcast last month.
“I told the ‘WTF’ podcaster that I thought Jane Campion was a brilliant director, and I want to apologize to the cast of ‘The Power of the Dog,’ brilliant actors all,” he said on April 10 during Deadline’s Contenders TV event. “And in particular Benedict Cumberbatch. I can only say that I’m sorry and I am. I am.”
In his mea culpa, Elliot admitted he wasn’t “very articulate” in sharing his thoughts on the Western and feels “terrible” about how his comments were received, particularly with the gay community.
“I said some things that hurt people and I feel terrible about that,” he said. “The gay community has been incredible to me my entire career. And I mean my entire career, from before I got started in this town. Friends on every level and every job description up until today.”
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He continued, “I’m sorry I hurt any of those friends and someone that I loved. And anyone else by the words that I used.”
During his March 1 interview on Maron’s podcast, Elliott called “The Power of the Dog” a “piece of s—” and took issue with its director being from New Zealand.
“What the f— does this woman from down there know about the American West?” he exclaimed, referring to Campion. “And why in the f— did she shoot this movie in New Zealand and call it Montana? And say this is the way it was? That f—— rubbed me the wrong way, pal.”
The “1883” star also made comments that many deemed homophobic about the characters in the film, saying they looked “more like Chippendales dancers than cowboys.”
“They’re running around in chaps and no shirts,” he complained. “There’s all these allusions of homosexuality throughout the f—— movie. I mean, Cumberbatch never got out of his f—— chaps.”
Following the podcast, Cumberbatch called Elliott’s criticism “very odd,” while Campion — who went on to win best director at the 2022 Oscars — had a stronger reaction.
“I’m sorry, he was being a little bit of a b—,” she said of Elliott, spelling out the final word, at the DGA Awards on March 12. “I’m sorry to say it but he’s not a cowboy, he’s an actor.”
She echoed similar comments to Deadline saying Elliott’s remarks “hit the trifecta of misogyny and xenophobia and homophobia.”
As for Elliot, he began his mea culpa on April 10 with some semi-serious advice, telling the audience, “Don’t do a podcast with the call letters ‘WTF.'”
