The fallout and conversation continues from Uma Thurman‘s startling revelations about her treatment on the set of “Kill Bill.” At the center of the controversy is a horrific car crash she suffered through, one that Thurman said was “negligent to the point of criminality.” The actresses also alleged that producers Harvey Weinstein, Lawrence Bender, and E. Bennett Walsh “lied, destroyed evidence, and continue to lie about the permanent harm they caused and then chose to suppress. The cover-up did have malicious intent, and shame on these three for all eternity.”
Bender has now broken his silence over the accident, and in a statement provided to THR, says he regrets what happened, but adds that he never hid anything. Here’s what he had to say:
I deeply regret that Uma suffered the pain she has, both physically and emotionally, for all of these years from the accident that occurred on the set of Kill Bill. The safety of the professionals who work on the movies I produce is vital to me and I never want to let anyone down.
I never hid anything from Uma or anyone else nor did I participate in any cover up of any kind – and I never would.
I was informed of Uma’s feelings in regard to this incident a few months ago and have done my best over this time to get as much verifiable information from all of the relevant sources that I could and shared it with Quentin. I wanted to make sure she had all of the answers she had been seeking.
I have great respect for Uma Thurman, both as an artist and a person, and only wish her well.
Director Quentin Tarantino has expressed his remorse for what unfolded, saying, “It was heartbreaking. Beyond one of the biggest regrets of my career, it is one of the biggest regrets of my life.”
Bender most recently produced “Hacksaw Ridge,” “Silence,” and “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power.” He’s also a producer on the upcoming Netflix series “Seven Seconds.” Thurman has not yet responded to Bender’s statement.
