Sam Elliott issues apology for brutal Power of the Dog comments

Actor Sam Elliott has apologised for his harsh review of the award winning Power of the Dog. Photo / Getty Images

Sam Elliott has reflected on his controversial comments last month and apologised.

The veteran actor landed in hot water last month when he made some controversial comments about Kiwi director and Oscar winner Jane Campion's film, Power of the Dog, while appearing on Marc Maron's WTF podcast.

But now it seems the 77-year-old actor has had time to reflect and reconsider his initial remarks.

E! News has reported Elliott spoke of the situation at Deadline's Contenders TV event where he admitted he was in the wrong, "I told the WTF podcaster that I thought Jane Campion was a brilliant director, and I want to apologise to the cast of The Power of the Dog, brilliant actors all," continuing on to say, "And in particular Benedict Cumberbatch. I can only say that I'm sorry and I am. I am."

Jane Campion won an Oscar for Best Director for her work on Power of The Dog. Photo / Getty Images

Elliott then said he feels "terrible" about how his comments were received, especially within the gay community and revealed he wasn't "very articulate" when he shared his thoughts.

"I said some things that hurt people and I feel terrible about that," Elliott commented, "The gay community has been incredible to me my entire career. And I mean my entire career, from before I got started in this town. Friends on every level and every job description up until today."

He finished by saying, "I'm sorry I hurt any of those friends and someone that I loved. And anyone else by the words that I used."

Campion's The Power of the Dog was a popular film this award season, earning a total of 11 Oscar nominations, Campion took away the award for Best Director, and won three Golden Globes.

But Elliott wasn't initially impressed with the film, he appeared on Marc Maron's WTF podcast and didn't beat around the bush when asked for his thoughts on the film.

Power of the Dog was filmed in New Zealand and directed by kiwi director, Jane Campion. Photo / Supplied

"You want to talk about that piece of s***?" he said.

"I'll tell you why I didn't like it anyway. I looked at when I was down there in Texas doing '1883' and what really brought it home to me the other day when I said, 'Do you want to f***ing talk about it?'

"There was a f***ing full-page ad out in the LA Times and there was a review, not a review, but a clip, and it talked about the 'evisceration of the American myth.'

"And I thought, 'What the f***? What the f***?' This is the guy that's done westerns forever. The evisceration of the American west? They made it look like those dancers, those guys in New York who wear bow ties and not much else.

"That's what all these f***ing cowboys in that movie look like," Elliott said. "They're all running around in chaps and no shirts. There's all these allusions to homosexuality throughout the f***ing movie."

Elliott quickly received backlash from one of the film's stars, Benedict Cumberbatch who called it an "odd reaction".

Power of the Dog was filmed in Otago and Dunedin, and began shooting in January 2020 before the pandemic halted production.

The movie's Hollywood stars remained in the country during our first lockdown and the production was given a border exemption for its cast and crew and filming resumed in June 2020.