Director apologises for 'mean and hurtful' Keira Knightley remarks

The director said he had written to Keira Knightley 'personally to apologise'. Credit: PA

Film director John Carney has apologised for "petty, mean and hurtful" comments he made about Keira Knightley in a recent interview.

Carney, who directed the actress in Begin Again, told the Independent he would "never make a film with supermodels again". He also appeared to question Knightley's acting capabilities

John Carney's controversial comments had been criticised. Credit: PA

Following a backlash, Carney posted his apology on his Twitter account, writing, "I'm ashamed of myself".

During the controversial interview, Carney had described his recent film Sing Street, as "a small personal movie with no Keira Knightleys in it."

"Keira's thing is to hide who you are and I don't think you can be an actor and do that," he said.

Keira Knightley (centre) and John Carney (far-right) with the cast of Begin Again in pictured in 2014 Credit: PA

In the wake of Carney's comments, Mark Romanek, who directed the star in Never Let Me Go, jumped to her defence and said: "My experience with Keira Knightley was utterly spectacular on every level."

"I have no clue what this guy is talking about. arrogant s**thead," he added

'Shoddy behaviour'

In his apology statement, Carney he was "ashamed" and had written to Knightley "personally to apologise".

"In trying to pick holes in my own work, I ended up blaming someone else."

"That's not only bad directing, that's shoddy behaviour that I am not in any way proud of. It's arrogant and disrespectful," he added.

"It's not something that I could ever justify, and will never repeat," Carney concluded.