Jane Campion says Venus and Serena Williams 'do not play against the guys like I have to' during Critics' Choice Awards acceptance speech

The director's comments, which were made at Sunday's Critics' Choice Awards, were heavily criticized on social media.

• Jane Campion won best director at Sunday's Critics' Choice Awards.
• During her acceptance speech, "The Power of the Dog" director called out Venus and Serena Williams.
• "You do not play against the guys, like I have to," she said, which was quickly criticized online.

Jane Campion said that Venus and Serena Williams "do not play against the guys like I have to" after winning best director at Sunday night's Critics' Choice Awards — a comment that was quickly criticized on social media.

"The Power of the Dog" director triumphed over her fellow male nominees, Kenneth Branagh, Steven Spielberg, Paul Thomas Anderson, Denis Villeneuve, and Guillermo del Toro. 

In her victory speech, however, she pointed to the many other female nominees in other categories.

"It's absolutely stunning to be here tonight among so many incredible women," Campion began.

"Halle Berry, you have already done my speech … and really killed it. I loved it. You're absolutely brilliant," she said, acknowledging the actress, who won the #SeeHer award earlier that evening.

"Venus and Serena, what an honor to be in the room with you. I've taken up tennis — I truly have — and Will [Smith], if you want to come over and give me lessons, I would truly love it," Campion continued. "I actually had to stop playing because I've got tennis elbow."

Venus and Serena Williams were attending the Critics' Choice Awards in support of "King Richard," which received six nominations. The biopic is centered on their father and coach, Richard Williams, played by Will Smith, who won best actor for the role. 

After Campion gave her "love out" to her fellow nominees, which she dubbed "the guys," the director addressed the Williams sisters again: "Venus and Serena, you're such marvels. However, you do not play against the guys like I have to."

—philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) March 14, 2022

Insider reached out to reps for Venus and Serena Williams but didn't hear back.

Campion's comments were met with applause by the audience but the social media response was critical

Campion's comments quickly trended on Sunday night after many journalists pointed out how distasteful they were to the Williams sisters.

"There was no need to disrespect and diminish Serena and Venus Williams by Jane Campion. Is the 'win' better because Black women didn't get it?" said Stephanie Guerilus, ABC News' Digital News Editor, on Twitter.

The BBC's Gender and Identity correspondent Megha Mohan wrote on Twitter, "Jane Campion, daughter of famous New Zealand theatre director Richard Campion & actress Edith Campion MBE, explains the challenges of being a white woman from an established family to Venus and Serena Williams."

Speaking on the red carpet of the Director's Guild Awards, which were held Saturday, Campion told Variety, "Look, what can I say? I'm sorry, he was being a little bit of a b-i-t-c-h."

"He's not a cowboy, he's an actor," she continued. "The West is a mythic space, and there's a lot of room on the range. I think it's a little bit sexist."