Melissa gains apology over backlash

She once publicly dissed her homeland, saying she preferred Paris and New York over Australia, but now Melissa George's infamous remark has earned her an apology.

Following her tearful tell-all Sunday Night interview, the journalist responsible for publishing the quote five years ago has apologised saying she's "horrified" social media trolls continue to use it against the actress.

“I’ve been horrified to see that many Australians have been quick to throw her words from that interview right back in her face. ‘Suck it up princess,’ said one commentator, echoing scores of others who suggested she deserves no sympathy for turning her back on Australia,” Fairfax journalist Christine Sams wrote.

Melissa broke her silence over the alleged domestic violence incident involving ex-partner Jean-David Blanc that left her hospitalised last year during the interview, as well as opening up about the custody battle over her two sons she shares with her ex.

Christine added that she regrets ever publishing the quote during the 2012 interview, where Melissa was clearly annoyed at the questions as her breakout role as Angel on Home and Away during the 90s.

“The one thing I certainly didn’t know was that nearly five years later, a clearly traumatised Melissa George would plead publicly to Australia for help after a very troubling incident of domestic violence in her French home and those words of hers would still be used against her by so many. Is Australia really so unforgiving that those flippant and somewhat ridiculous remarks will be held against her for years? I just wanted to say sorry, Melissa, you don’t deserve it,” she said.

Social media users were less than kind to the mother-of-two after the emotional interview, with many saying she didn't deserve sympathy because she turned her back on Australia.

“If you bag out Australia then you are not entitled to any empathy ever again in your entire life," one online user wrote while another added, “Oh now she is sorry, how convenient.”

“She was too good for Australia when all was going well with her… just deal with this yourself sweetheart. The rest of us are not interested” “Silly girl...” more of the online comments read.

In 2012, George slammed the Australian media, claiming it stressed her out to return to her homeland.

“I don't need credibility from my country any more, I just need them all to be quiet,” George told the Sydney Morning Herald at the time.

“If they have nothing intelligent to say, please don't speak to me any more.

“I'd rather be having a croissant and a little espresso in Paris or walking my French bulldog in New York City.”

During the interview Melissa opened up in the rare candid chat with reporter Steve Pennells about an argument that broke out between her and Jean-David last September, where he was allegedly on top of her, holding her arms above her head.

“I just tried to fight for myself, which made him more angry, which made me more angry and he pushed me into the door and then struck my face and I hit the wall and fell on the floor,” George told Sunday Night.

“He stood over me and said: ‘Now you’re a real actress’.

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“He grabbed the back of my head and smashed it on the metal thing where you hang your coats and that’s when I scratched him and I tried to fight for my life.”

An Uber driver, who took her to a police station to report the alleged assault, picked up the bleeding actress from her home.

George claims she was left with bruising on her face, a broken inner lip and swelling to the eyes.

She also wasn’t able to move her neck and was admitted to hospital after vomiting in the police station.

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