Nate Parker Says He Wasn't Empathetic in Previous Comments About His Rape Accuser

Nate Parker has given an in-depth interview about being put on trial for rape accusations and how his previous comments about the case and his accuser were not empathetic.

The 36-year-old The Birth of a Nation star and director was accused of rape back in 1999 and he was acquitted of the charges. The case resurfaced recently and he released a statement about it, but then a few days later it was revealed that his accuser had committed suicide several years ago.

“This is hard; I’ve been trying to figure out how to say this. Not everyone has the best intentions. I thought I was giving the interview, at the time of those two interviews – and one really just bit off the other – I didn’t know the status of the women,” Nate told Ebony. “I didn’t know. I was acting as if I was the victim, and that’s wrong. I was acting as if I was the victim because I felt like, my only thought was I’m innocent and everyone needs to know. I didn’t even think for a second about her, not even for a second.”

“You asked me why I wasn’t empathetic? Why didn’t it come off more empathetic? Because I wasn’t being empathetic. Why didn’t it come off more contrite? Because I wasn’t being contrite. Maybe I was being even arrogant. And learning about her passing shook me, it really did. It really shook me,” he added.

Throughout the lengthy interview, Nate talks about his views on being called a rapist, his idea of consent, and more. At one point he was asked if he has thought about his accuser and the incident at all over the last 17 years. “No, I had not. I hadn’t thought about it at all,” he replied.

Go to Ebony.com right now to read the full piece.