Sam Neill said the comments were offensive and amounted to "utter stupidity".

Hollywood heavyweight Sam Neill has chimed in to the general outrage surrounding broadcaster Heather du Plessis-Allan's outspoken comments against Pacific people.

"How far can you take offensiveness and utter stupidity?" Neill asked his 247,000 Twitter followers, while making reference to the comments on Monday.

The Kiwi actor was referring to du Plessis-Allan saying Pacific people are "leeches" on New Zealand, during a Wellington broadcast of Newstalk ZB.

The broadcast was in response to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's decision to visit Nauru.

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"They are nothing but leeches on us. The Pacific Islands wants money from us," she told listeners earlier this month.

KEVIN STENT / STUFF Heather du Plessis-Allen is known for her outspoken approach to broadcasting.

She referred to the island as a "hell hole", and said it was not worth a Pacific Forum Leaders' Meeting because the Pacific Islands "don't matter".

The comments were widely denounced, including by Privacy Commissioner John Edwards and Samoan-born actor and columnist Oscar Kightley – who said the radio station "owes our Pasifika neighbours an apology" for du Plessis-Allan's comments.

But while on air last Tuesday, she said she did not regret what she said.

"I was not talking about people living in this country or the people themselves, I am talking about the Pacific Islands and the people who run it."

In a heated response directed at Edwards, who had declined an offer to discuss the matter on her show, de Plessis-Allan said: "This is a problem that is particularly specific to the left at the moment.

"They [Edwards and people on Twitter] all want to portray themselves as intellectually high and mighty.

"If you perceive yourself as being particularly intellectual, go back to university and do some more training, because you're actually not good enough. I don't regret saying that.

"Nauru is a hellhole, factually correct, and I also said the Pacific Islands don't matter because they are leeches who want our money."

Formal complaints have been made to Newstalk ZB by some listeners.

Du Plessis-Allan, Newstalk ZB and NZME did not reply to requests for comment.