Quentin Tarantino has been forced to apologise for comments made about the Roman Polanski rape case.

Polanski was arrested and charged with drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl named Samantha Geimer in 1977. At the time of the case, Polanski pleaded guilty to ‘unlawful sex with a minor’ which carried a shorter prison sentence. However, Polanski decided to flee America to avoid prison time and has settled in Paris without facing action for his crime.

Now, a new interview has surfaced dating back to 1993 highlighting quotes from Tarantino seemingly defending Polanski: “He didn’t rape a 13-year-old,” Tarantino said in the old Howard Stern interview. “It was statutory rape. That’s not quite the same thing,” before making the point that the victim “dated the guy [Polanski]” and was “down to party with Roman.”

Now, as the controversial interview surfaces, Tarantino has issued an apology to the victim for his comments: In a statement to IndieWire, he said, “I want to publicly apologise 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 realise how wrong I was. 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,” Tarantino went on. “I didn’t take Ms. Geimer’s feelings into consideration and for that I am truly sorry.”

Tarantino’s statement in full:

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. 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.

I am sorry Samantha.

Quentin Tarantino