Brett Ratner Out as Oscars Producer

"I deeply regret my actions and I am determined to learn from this experience," Ratner writes amid fallout for having used a gay slur

Brett Ratner has resigned as producer of next year's Academy Awards, following controversy over having used a gay slur over the weekend.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said the 42-year-old filmmaker submitted his resignation Tuesday.

The announcement came a day after Ratner apologized for having said "rehearsal is for f---" at a "Tower Heist" screening in Hollywood. He also recently raised eyebrows for lying about sexual exploits with actress Olivia Munn.

Ratner "did the right thing for the academy and for himself," Academy President Tom Sherak said. "Brett is a good person, but his comments were unacceptable."

Ratner was named Oscar producer in August along with TV veteran Don Mischer. He is credited with bringing on Eddie Murphy as host. It was unclear if the veteran screen star was still committed to the gig.

In an open letter explaining his resignation, Ratner said he'd received, "a well-deserved earful from many of the people I admire most in this industry expressing their outrage and disappointment over the hurtful and stupid things I said in a number of recent media appearances.

"To them, and to everyone I’ve hurt and offended, I’d like to apologize publicly and unreservedly," he wrote, EW reported.

Ratner said it pained him "deeply" that he had hurt people in the LGBT community. He pledged to work with GLAAD in a dialogue to "increase awareness of the important and troubling issues this episode has raised."

"I should have known this all along, but at least I know it now: words do matter," Ratner wrote. "Having love in your heart doesn’t count for much if what comes out of your mouth is ugly and bigoted."

Ratner called resigning from the Academy Awards telecast a "first step."

Selected ReadingEW, THR, E!, MTV

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