Michelle Rodriguez is certain that her Widows co-star Liam Neeson is not a racist. The actress is one of the few industry insiders to publicly support Neeson since the actor gave a lightning-rod of an interview in which he admitted that decades ago, he wanted to kill a black man in order to get revenge for a friend who had been raped. After an attempt at damage control on the Today show following the interview, Neeson has laid low, canceling a planned appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and the premiere of his upcoming film, Cold Pursuit.

“It’s all fuckin’ bullshit. Liam Neeson is not a racist,” said Rodriguez at the amfAR Gala New York on Wednesday night. “Dude, have you watched Widows? His tongue was so far down Viola Davis’s throat. You can’t call him a racist ever. Racists don’t make out with the race that they hate, especially in the way he does with his tongue—so deep down her throat. I don’t care how good of an actor you are. It’s all bullshit. Ignore it. He’s not a racist. He’s a loving man. It’s all lies.”

The Alita: Battle Angel star also addressed rumors that she has quit the Fast and the Furious franchise due to its unfair treatment of its female characters. The truth is, Rodriguez hasn’t made a decision about whether she will appear in the series’s ninth installment because the film’s screenplay has not yet been completed.

“I don’t know if I’m coming back. I have to read the script first. Once I read the script, I’ll know,” the action vet said on the red carpet. “When I read the script—and I hope that it’s inclusive—then I’ll agree to come back or not. My energy is completely directed toward the feminine right now and supporting women. I’ve spent most of my life shooting guns, and hanging out with the boys, and watching them scratch their balls, and smelling protein-mixed farts. And now I’m feeling the poetry and the beauty and the sensuality of women, and the power we bring together. So they need to show more love to the women. I don’t know which direction it’s going to go. But I know that I’m headed in that direction. We’ll see if that all matches.”

Rodriguez was one of many starry guests attending last night’s amfAR Gala New York—the annual ultra glam fund-raising benefit for AIDS research that serves as the unofficial kickoff to New York Fashion Week. She joined Kim Kardashian (wearing a bold and revealing black Versace dress), Kourtney Kardashian (also wearing black Versace), Heidi Klum, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Karolina Kurkova to celebrate and honor actress Milla Jovovich, auctioneer Simon de Pury, and famed fashion photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott for their longtime commitment and humanitarian efforts to the fight against AIDS.

During the black-tie dinner, Kim took to the stage to present Alas and Piggott with amfAR’s Award of Courage. The KKW Beauty founder has been photographed nude by the critically lauded duo, and has built a close friendship with the artists. In her speech, Kim praised their talents, but most valued “their charm, their warmth, humor, and generosity.”

Alas gave the evening’s most inspiring speech, thanking the doctors, scientists, and volunteers who devote their careers to finding a cure for and bring an end to AIDS.

“I have no doubt with your determination we will find a cure for HIV/AIDS,” said Alas. “That day will come and each one of us sitting here tonight has the power to make this day come sooner. So let’s get to it!”