Pierce Brosnan says his heart goes out to Roman Polanski

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'I hope this chapter can be closed quickly,' Brosnan says

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Pierce Brosnan says his heart goes out to the family of Roman Polanski who was directing Brosnan in "The Ghost," when he was arrested in September in Switzerland.

Brosnan stars alongside Scottish star Ewan McGregor in the film. It’s about a ghost-writer helping a former British Prime Minister on his memoir, who discovers dangerous secrets in the process.

Polanksi’s own secrets came back to haunt him this year. Swiss police arrested the director in September when he arrived in the country to attend the Zurich film festival. Authorities in Los Angeles had requested the arrest. In 1977 Polanski was indicted on six felony charges – child molestation and sodomy were among them, along with rape by use of drugs.

He pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl, and a judge sentenced him to a 90-day psychiatric evaluation. But after serving some of the time, Polanksi fled to France the day he was to be formally charged, and he has been in Europe ever since.

Last week he began a period of house arrest on bail on an astonishing $4.5 million bail after spending two months in jail. The Swiss government is deciding whether or not to extradite him to the U.S.

Many Hollywood stars have protested about the case and signed petitions on Polanski’s behalf. Pierce plays a former British Prime Minister in “The Ghost,” and he stands by Polanski.

Speaking to the press he said: "There's a sadness to the whole situation. What happened was wrong in every way, but I just wish the man well and closure for this time in his life, at this moment in time.

"He's a magnificent director. He's iconic in the world of cinema.

On  the film, which is adapted from a Robert Harris novel of the same name, he said, "I think we've made a good film, the cast is really top class and I just hope that justice will be served with some dignity and compassion, and swiftly.

"We had dinners, we talked, I met him before and we got on very well together, but I don't know the man.

"I certainly knew the history of the man, and my heart goes out to his family, to his wife and to his children and, as I say, I hope this chapter can be closed quickly."

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