Audio of Quentin Tarantino defending Roman Polanski by saying his 13-year-old rape victim "wanted to have it" has resurfaced online.
It comes just days after the Pulp Fiction filmmaker was accused of coercing Uma Thurman to perform a dangerous driving stunt that resulted in her crashing and suffering permanent damage.
Tarantino made the comments about Polanski in a 2003 interview with infamous shock-jock Howard Stern.
"He didn't rape a 13-year-old," Tarantino said. "It was statutory rape - that's not quite the same thing.
"He had sex with a minor - that's not rape. To me, when you use the word 'rape', you're talking about violent, throwing them down; it's like one of the most violent crimes in the world.
"Throwing the word 'rape' around is like throwing the word 'racist' around. It doesn't apply to everything that people use it for.
"He was guilty of having sex with a minor."
When Stern and co-host Robin Quivers argued with Tarantino about the meaning of consent and statutory rape, he claimed: "She wanted to have it and dated the guy."
He also rejected the seriousness of Polanski drugging the girl before raping her.
"No, no, no," Tarantino said. "Again, you're killing him with the pills and booze thing."
The audio has since been removed from YouTube over a copyright claim.
Tarantino has responded to Thurman's claims, defending his decision to choke her and spit on her during Kill Bill .
In the exclusive interview with Deadline, he called her car crash "the biggest regret of my life".
"I told her it would be safe and it wasn't," said Tarantino. "I was wrong.
"She got into it because she trusted me and she believed me."
Meanwhile, Diane Kruger has released a statement, saying Tarantino was a "pure joy" to work with on Inglourious Basterds and he "never abused his power".
Tarantino has not yet commented on his defence of Polanski.
Newshub.
