Actor Liam Neeson expressed regret in a shocking interview for the “horrible” thoughts he had about wanting to kill a black person after a friend was raped.

In an interview with The Independent, Liam Neeson revealed that when he was younger, a female friend of his was raped by who she said was a black man, which led to Neeson having violent, racist thoughts about killing a “black bastard” as a result.

It was some time ago. Neeson had just come back from overseas to find out about the rape. “She handled the situation of the rape in the most extraordinary way,” Neeson says. “But my immediate reaction was…” There’s a pause. “I asked, did she know who it was? No. What colour were they? She said it was a black person. “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 [Neeson gestures air quotes with his fingers] ‘black bastard’ would come out of a pub and have a go at me about something, you know? So that I could,” another pause, “kill him.” Neeson clearly knows what he’s saying, and how shocking it is, how appalling. “It took me a week, maybe a week and a half, to go through that. She would say, ‘Where are you going?’ and I would say, ‘I’m just going out for a walk.’ You know? ‘What’s wrong?’ ‘No no, nothing’s wrong.’”

The Star Wars actor said that the thoughts were “awful” and “horrible, horrible, when I think back.”

The 66-year-old actor is currently promoting his latest action thriller Cold Pursuit. His comments in the interview have already caused fury and confusion on social media.

Check out all the reactions.

Liam Neeson is today’s example of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. — Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) February 4, 2019

Well, I've seen it all now. Liam Neeson admitted to going around trying to find a black person to kill because someone he was close to got raped by a black person, and the journalist spoke to a psychologist to help contextualise his racism and included it in the article? WILD. — Elizabeth Pears (@BizPears) February 4, 2019

“But my immediate reaction was I asked, did she know who it was? No. What colour were they? She said it was a black person." Not how old were they? How tall were they? You just asked what colour were they? I don't care how sorry you are, Liam Neeson, that is disgusting. https://t.co/sCDVTBCBIx — Hannah Al-Othman (@HannahAlOthman) February 4, 2019

Black People: “You know, we really like Liam Neeson.” Liam Neeson: “Let me fuck that up right quick.” — X (@XLNB) February 4, 2019

When you see Liam Neeson trending, then you find out why… pic.twitter.com/svP8jY7qDu — Jacob Davison (@JacobDavison_) February 4, 2019

So Liam Neeson wanted to carry out a racially targeted murder against a random Black person? There is a US governor that wears klan clothes, so news like this isn’t even shocking anymore https://t.co/4NQVv3ItYe — Tariq Nasheed (@tariqnasheed) February 4, 2019

in the words of everyone in my group chat: “uhhhhhhhhhh??????” https://t.co/zIuCkfatgL — Scaachi (@Scaachi) February 4, 2019