‘The Birth of a Nation’ Director Nate Parker Remains Unapologetic for Rape Scandal in ‘60 Minutes’ Interview

Nate Parker, the director and lead actor of the much anticipated film The Birth of a Nation, sat down with 60 Minutes’Anderson Cooper for a rare interview. In 1999, Parker and a fellow wrestler from Penn State were accused of raping a female student. Parker was found not guilty by the court, but with his film set to be released, he has found himself defending himself again in the court of public opinion.

Parker’s accuser dropped out of school after the incident. After suffering from psychological issues for several years, she committed suicide in 2012. While he admits the situation is sad, Parker does not believe he owes the accuser’s family an apology, saying, “I don’t want to be disrespectful of them at all … but, you know, at some point I have to, to say it, you know, I — I was falsely accused.” He went on to say, “I feel terrible that this woman isn’t here, you know. I feel terrible that … her family had to deal with that, but as I sit here, an apology is … no.”

Parker’s film, which Fox Searchlight paid $17.5 million dollars for, is inspired by the true story of Nat Turner’s slave rebellion in 1831. It is scheduled to be released nationwide on October 7.

60 Minutes airs Sundays at 7 p.m.

The cast of The Birth of a Nation discuss the controversy:

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