Jane Campion apologizes to the Williams sisters

New Zealand director Jane Campion, a front-runner in the 2022 Oscars, apologized on Monday to tennis champions Serena and Venus Williams for “hasty” comments she made the day before. The famous filmmaker sparked a scandal after winning the Best Director award in Los Angeles at the Choice Critics Awards, which are presented by American film critics, for her movie The Power of the Dog.

On the stage on Sunday evening, Jane Campion saluted all the female talents in the room, especially the Williams sisters, who attended the party along with Will Smith, star of the movie “King Richard” dedicated to the two tennis champions. “Serena and Venus, you’re amazing,” Campion said. “But you don’t have to face the males like I do.”
This unexpected comment sparked a torrent of angry reactions from people who saw it as a form of discrimination and racism. Excerpts from the party were spread across social networks showing Venus Williams upset by this statement.
Campion was quick to apologize, writing in a statement carried by US media: “I made a hasty comment comparing what I do in the world of cinema to everything that Serena and Venus Williams have accomplished.” “I had no intention of underestimating these two legendary women and world class athletes,” she added, noting that the Williams sisters had played matches against men during their careers.
“The last thing I want to do is belittle the merits of these two wonderful women (…) Serena and Venus, I beg your pardon and I fully celebrate you,” Campion said.
The scandal may overshadow the streak of success for Jane Campion, who also won the British BAFTA Award and the American Director’s Award last weekend. Note that the followers consider the dark western movie The Power of the Dog and its director among the most likely candidates to win the Academy Awards, the highest rewards of American cinema, which will be distributed in Hollywood on March 27th.