John Wayne's daughters are opening up about their late father whose legacy has taken a hit following the resurfacing of a "racist" interview with Playboy from 1971.
At the time, Wayne said he believed in "white supremacy" until "the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility" and did not feel remorse for the Native Americans who lost their homes. His daughter, Marisa Wayne, was quick to defend her father.
"He definitely had his opinions, but he respected you if you disagreed with him," the 54-year-old told Closer Weekly in the magazine’s latest issue, currently on newsstands. "He had an ability to see both sides of the story."
Wayne's 64-year-old daughter, Aissa Wayne, added that her father "loved people" and was a "people person" who "cared" about others.
"I think that really was a big feature about him," she said.
Earlier this year Wayne's son, Ethan, came forward to defend his father amid calls to drop the film legend's name, statue and other likenesses from the John Wayne airport.
"There is no question that the words spoken by John Wayne in an interview 50 years ago have caused pain and anger," he told Fox News in June. "They pained him as well, as he realized his true feelings were wrongly conveyed."
Ethan added that his father did not support "white supremacy" in any way.
"Those who knew him, knew he judged everyone as an individual and believed everyone deserved an equal opportunity," he said. "He called out bigotry when he saw it. He hired and worked with people of all races, creeds, and sexual orientations. John Wayne stood for the very best for all of us -- a society that doesn’t discriminate against anyone seeking the American dream."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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