If you watched The Academy Awards two weeks ago you will remember Sean Penn saying something aimed at Mexican-born director Alejandro Iñárritu, who won the Oscar for best movie, Birdman.

Penn read out the nominees and just before he announced the winner, said:

Who gave this son of a bitch his green card?

It’s a bit of a long standing tender joke about the border between the US and Mexico being a bit of a hotspot for illegal immigrants, and as such many people are upset with Penn. He has been hit with a backlash of bad comments, saying that it was unacceptable of him to say something like this about a real problem. People went so far as to say the comment “ruined the Oscars”.

Most importantly, what does Iñárritu think?

“I found it hilarious,” Iñárritu said after the ceremony. “Sean and I have that kind of brutal (relationship) where only true friendship can survive.”

The two worked together in 21 Grams back in 2003 and created a strong friendship. They have private, inside jokes between themselves, and this was one of them. Penn has explained that the comment was a way to let the director know of his victory seconds before everyone else, in true BFF style.

As far as an apology goes to those offended, Penn expressed his opinion strongly.

I have absolutely no apologies. In fact, I have a big f**k you for every…anybody who is so stupid not to have gotten the irony when you’ve got a country that is so xenophobic. If they had their way, you wouldn’t have great filmmakers like Alejandro working in this country. Thank god we do.

I’m on Penn’s side for this one.

[Source: Time]