Colin Farrell responds to 'offensive' Saturday Night Live sketch during Oscars

The skit was heavily criticised online with many describing the joke as 'offensive'

Colin Farrell responds to 'offensive' Saturday Night Live sketch during Oscars

Colin Farrell has responded to a controversial skit on Saturday Night Live that portrayed the Irish actor and his Banshees of Inisherin co-star, Brendan Gleeson.

Airing in the US on Saturday night, the controversial sketch used what many viewers deemed 'offensive' Irish stereotypes. The 3.5-minute skit presented the pair as unintelligible with an incomprehensible accent. The punchline of the joke was that they “hadn’t even started drinking yet”.

The following night at the Oscars, Farrell, who brought his son Henry as his date, made reference to the Saturday Night Live (SNL) skit.

During a questions and answers segment with Oscars 2023 host Jimmy Kimmel, Farrell was read a question from a viewer who asked the Irish man what he was saying in the movie.

In response to the question, which was read out by Kimmel, Farrell said: "I’d like him to go on YouTube and check out the SNL skit from last night and he’ll have a good idea.” 

The SNL skit caused outrage among Irish viewers. Pic: SNL

It comes after the skit on Saturday Night Live (SNL) was criticised heavily online for a set of 'offensive' jokes about Ireland ahead of Oscars night. Many also noted how Farrell has been open about his sobriety in recent years.

Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee was among those to criticise the sketch, tweeting "yes, this (is) fine" with a facepalming emoji.

During the 2023 Oscars awards ceremony in Los Angeles, the host, comedian Jimmy Kimmel came under fire once again for a number of jokes about Ireland throughout the night.