Jeremy Renner and Chris Evans apologize for Black Widow remarks

The Avengers stars Chris Evans and Jeremy Renner have apologized for calling castmate Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow character names during an interview on Wednesday (22Apr15).

The action stars came under fire after a female interviewer from Digital Spy asked whether the Black Widow would be romancing The Hulk, portrayed by Mark Ruffalo, in the upcoming super hero sequel.

Renner joked, "She's a slut", and Evans added, "I was gonna say something along that line. She's a complete whore!"

The derogatory comments sparked controversy online, and the actors have now come forward to apologize to fans for the ill-advised remarks.

Renner released a statement which reads: "I am sorry that this tasteless joke about a fictional character offended anyone. It was not meant to be serious in any way. Just poking fun during an exhausting and tedious press tour."

Evans added: "We were asked about the rumors that Black Widow wanted to be in a relationship with both Hawkeye and Captain America. We answered in a very juvenile and offensive way that rightfully angered some fans. I regret it and sincerely apologize."

Evans and Renner's co-star Robert Downey, Jr. also hit headlines on Wednesday after he stormed out of a TV chat with British reporter Krishnan Guru-Murthy when the newsman's line of questioning hit a nerve as he attempted to dig up the actor's chequered past and his former substance abuse issues.