Birth of a Nation's Nate Parker addresses rape allegation on 60 Minutes

NateParker's responseson Sunday's episode of 60 Minutesmight not come as a surprise, but they still have the power to make or break how audiences perceive him and, by extension, his latest film.

The co-writer, director and star behind the critically acclaimed movieThe Birth of a Nation, about AmericanNat Turner's slave rebelllion, hasfaced a deluge of questions regarding a rape charge he faced in 2001. It has turned the spotlight away from the film, which was even starting to acquire Oscar buzz,and onto himself.

• Rape case from past casts pallor on The Birth of a Nation

When asked by Anderson Cooper in a teaser clip for Sunday's interviewif he felt guilty about anything that happened that night, Parker replied: "I don't feel guilty."

When asked if he felt he did anything morally wrong, Parkeranswered: "As a Christian man, being in that situation, yeah, sure."

While Parker was acquitted of the charge, it was revealedthat his accuser committed suicide in 2012,prompting more questions about what happened.

The allegationdates back to1999, whenParker and his roommate JeanCelestin who has a story credit onThe Birth of a Nation were charged with raping an18-year-old student when they were studying at Penn State. Parker was 19yearsold at the time.

Celestinwas convicted of sexual assault, but that was later overturned and he wasn't re-tried. The woman sued Penn State and was awarded a settlement out of court.

Sharon Loeffler, the sister of the accuser, told her side of the story in a guest column for Variety earlier this week.

"She went through every option she possibly could for justice, and she got none," said Loeffler, explaining the events leading up to her sister's suicide. "In the years that followed, Nate Parker became a well-known actor. It tormented my sister to see him thrive while she was still struggling."

Despite thecontroversy,Parker was greeted with applause when he introduced hisfilm at the Vancouver International Film Festival Saturday.

The screening was sold out and Parker thanked his supporters and production team for turning his ideainto a reality.

At the Toronto International Film Festival in September, Parker avoided personal questions during apress conference to promote the movie.

When CBC News put a question to him during a sit-down interview, it was immediately cut shortand before Parker could give an answer.

Nate Parker interview cut short after sexual assault questions

8 years ago

Duration 3:37

CBC's Eli Glasner asks uncomfortable questions of The Birth of a Nation director, writer, and actor Nate Parker and gets shut down

Parker did address the controversy while at a screening in Los Angeles in August.

• 'I was a dog:' Birth of a Nation's Nate Parker addresses rape case controversy

"That type of male culture, that type of hyper-masculinity where your manhood is determined by how many women you get to say 'yes,' is destructive," he told the audience Aug. 26.

The 60 Minutes episode will mark the first time in more than a month that Parker has directly answered questions about the allegation.