‘I realise how wrong I was’: Quentin Tarantino issues apology to Roman Polanski rape victim after defending disgraced director

The Pulp Fiction director has faced a backlash after resurfaced comments 
Apology: Quentin Tarantino has apologised for his remarks about Roman Polanski
Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Sundance Film Festival
Jennifer Ruby9 February 2018
The Weekender

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Quentin Tarantino has apologised for defending Roman Polanski’s rape of 13-year-old Samantha Geimer, saying that he now realises he was “wrong”.

The director faced a backlash after comments he made about the incident on the Howard Stern Show in 2003 resurfaced this week, in which he said that the statutory rape was a consensual encounter.

“I don’t believe it’s rape, not at 13, not for these 13-year-old party girls,” he told the DJ.

Tarantino has now issued a statement of apology, directed to Geimer, in which he admits he was simply trying to be “provocative”.

Filmmaker Roman Polanski raped Samantha Geimer when she was 13 years old
AP

“I want to publicly apologize to Samantha Geimer for my cavalier remarks on “The Howard Stern Show” speculating about her and the crime that was committed against her. Fifteen years later, I realize how wrong I was,” he said.

“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.”

He finished: “I am sorry Samantha. Quentin Tarantino.”

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Shortly after Tarantino’s Howard Stern quotes resurfaced this week, Geimer told the New York Daily that he was “wrong”.

“He was wrong. I bet he knows it,” she said. “I hope he doesn't make an a** of himself and keep talking that way.

“I'm not upset, but I would probably feel better if he realizes now that he was wrong, after 15 years, after hearing the facts. Nobody has to be pissed off on my behalf. I'm okay.”

Polanski was charged with unlawful sex with a minor back in 1977 but fled the US for France to avoid imprisonment or deportation.

Tarantino faced a separate backlash over the weekend after Uma Thurman claimed that he had encouraged her to dangerous driving scene for Kill Bill, as well as spitting in her face and choking her.

"Me and Uma had our issues about the crash. She blamed me for the crash and she had a right to blame me for the crash," he told Deadline.

“I didn’t mean to do it. I talked her into getting in the car, I assured her the road was safe. And it wasn’t."

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