In 2009, British singer and actor Lily Allen released her single, F**k You, which went on to become a powerful anthem against racism and homophobia. The song, which attacks and confronts a fictional bigot, became a chart topper in Europe with its no-holes-barred lyrics striking a chord with fans across the world.
A decade later, Allen used the song as a tool to call out Hollywood star Liam Neeson for his controversial comments. The Taken star, who was deeply affected by the r*pe of a friend, used one occasion to express his anger at her attacker. As it turned out, his racial stereotyping of the culprit did not sit well with Allen, who scathingly dedicated F**k You to him.
Lily Allen Criticized Liam Neeson Through Her Popular Song
Through her confrontational song F**k You, Lily Allen took a firm stance on the evils of bigotry, homophobia, and racism that is sadly prevalent in abundance in the world. Ten years after its release in 2009, the British singer-songwriter in a concert in Australia used the powerful lyrical references to brutally takedown Liam Neeson in public.
The Schindler’s List actor, in an interview, had spoken about the plight of a friend who had been r*ped. Unable to contain his wrath, Neeson who discovered that the culprit was black, described the moment when he felt the urge to kill the ‘black b****rd’, if he got the chance to lay his hands on him.
Following his comment, Lily Allen took to stage in a concert in Sydney and handed out the highest insult by comparing the Oscar nominee to Donald Trump. In the video dripping with sarcasm on the star’s Instagram stories (via Far Out Magazine), the singer called out Neeson for his sweeping generalization and tone deaf views towards black people and said,
“Normally, I dedicate this song to Donald Trump, but tonight I’m dedicating it to Liam Neeson.”
Though Neeson admitted well before Allen’s criticism, that he was ashamed of what he said and felt, the Smile singer was not one to pardon excuses of this nature. She also pointed out the double standards among men who, in theory, spoke up for women’s rights but failed to walk the talk.
Why Dreamland Was Cathartic For Lily Allen
Apart from being a successful singer and a movie star, Lily Allen also made her big television debut in 2023 with the comedy-drama series Dreamland. In the show, the How to Build A Girl actor played the central character Mel, who returns home in an attempt to reconnect with her family after spending many years abroad. Apart from bagging a marquee primetime gig, Allen revealed that the show was cathartic in many ways, and the character resonated with her on a personal level. In an interview with Radio Times, she confessed,
“She has a really complicated relationship with some members of her family, and I have complicated relationships with some people in mine. She bottles things up, she’s not very good at communicating her feelings and I think that’s where she gets into a lot of trouble really. She feels all these things really strongly but doesn’t share them with anyone.”
Allen hoped that Dreamland would continue to give her the opportunity to develop on her character and explore various aspects of her personality as the seasons progressed.
