Liam Neeson has come under fire on social media for his reaction to the ongoing sexual harassment allegation scandal in Hollywood.
Speaking on Irish talk show The Late Late Show, Neeson appeared to defend some of the high profile men who've been accused of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behaviour by calling the allegations "a bit of a witch-hunt".
"There is a bit of a witch hunt happening," the actor said. "There's some people, famous people, being suddenly accused of touching some girl's knee or something, and suddenly they're being dropped from their programme."
During the interview, Neeson addressed the cases of US radio host Garrison Keillor and actor Dustin Hoffman specifically, with Neeson saying that he was in two minds about the allegations against Hoffman.
Hoffman has denied accusations of historic sexual misconduct from multiple women, with attorneys for the star dismissing the claims as "falsehoods".
"The Dustin Hoffman thing, I'm in two minds about that," Neeson continued. "Because if you're doing a play and you're with your family, other actors, technicians, you do silly things.
"You do silly things and it becomes kind of superstitious; if you don't do it every night you think it's going to jinx the show. I think Dustin Hoffman was… I'm not saying I've done similar things like what he did. Apparently, he touched another girl's breast and stuff.
"But it's childhood stuff what he was doing."
Neeson's comments have prompted criticism from users on social media:
However, other social media users have argued that Neeson has a point, and that actors are being convicted on social media rather than in any official capacity:
Nevertheless, later in the interview Neeson acknowledged that it was "healthy" to see the movement against sexual harassment growing in the wake of the accusations.
"There is a movement happening. It's healthy and it's across every industry," he said.
"The focus seems to be on Hollywood at the minute. But it's across every industry. I'm a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, and a very proud one. And I get sent facts and figures and stuff.
"And if you read the stuff I've read about how female labourers are being treated in farms, ranches, and all the rest of it, it's chilling."
