On reflection - and listening to an awful lot of bile against him on the radio today - I think he actually said this to start a conversation in which he’s succeeded and he’s put his hands up to something he did - in the much ignored context of revenge, the subject of his new film - which clearly he shouldn’t have, but, the fact he has put this in the spotlight (although Lord knows why) , hopefully will perhaps make someone in a similar situation in the future stop & think before taking action.....?
He’s basically saying he did something 40 years ago when times and attitudes were very different and realised a week later how wrong he was and was appalled at his own actions.
He didn’t have to say it, he has, took balls to do so given the potential career and reputational suicide by doing so, and is asking us all to take a hard look at ourselves.
Either that or he’s just decided to say to the world “hey I’m a racist, my new film launches in a few days....”
Hmm....