Kiwi director Jane Campion sorry for 'thoughtless comment' to Williams sisters

Jane Campion with Venus and Serena Williams at the Netflix's Critics Choice Awards After Party. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand award-winning director, Jane Campion, has issued an apology to tennis star sisters Venus and Serena Williams for a "thoughtless comment" made in her Best Director acceptance speech yesterday.

As Campion accepted the coveted Critics Choice Award in Los Angeles, one of four accolades for her Western-style psychological drama, The Power of the Dog, she acknowledged women at the ceremony including the Williams sisters.

"Venus and Serena, what an honour to be in the room with you," Campion said of the pair who were there in support of King Richard, a film about their relationships with their father.

Campion's jokes about having tennis elbow and requesting tennis lessons from the Williams sisters were well received - and it appeared initially that her next comment was too.

She said: "I'd also just like to give my love out to my fellow – the guys. And Serena and Venus, you are such marvels. However, you do not play against the guys like I have to."

The audience of famous faces appeared to respond with applause and laughter at the time. However, one camera caught Venus Williams looking uncomfortable as others clapped around her.

Jane Campion with Venus and Serena Williams at the Netflix's Critics Choice Awards After Party. Photo / Getty Images

Later, on social media, Campion's comment was called out as "racist", "backhanded" and lacking in awareness.

Actor Jodie Turner-Smith, in attendance with her husband, Joshua Jackson, tweeted: "[Jane] taking time out of her best director speech to tell two Black women that she is more oppressed than them is PEAK white feminism."

And a film producer named Drew Dixon tweeted: "The nerve of Jane Campion to suggest her journey is harder than that of two Black women who've overcome racism, sexism and classism in one of the whitest, richest sports in the world to become CHAMPIONS again and again is why I have trust issues with white feminists."

Campion has issued a statement apologising for the comment: "I made a thoughtless comment equating what I do in the film world with all that Serena Williams and Venus Williams have achieved. I did not intend to devalue these two legendary Black women and world-class athletes."

The Power of the Dog also won the Critics Choice Awards for Best Picture, Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay Adaptation.

Earlier in the day, Campion took out the coveted BAFTA Awards for Best Film and Best Director.