Liam Payne recently shared his complex feelings about his former One Direction bandmate, Zayn Malik, during a candid conversation on the Impaulsive podcast with Logan Paul. In his discussion, Liam revealed that while he dislikes Zayn, he also empathizes with his struggles and will always support him.

Liam explained that his relationship with Zayn has always been complicated. He admitted that he dislikes Zayn, but at the same time, he feels a deep understanding of Zayn’s past, which has shaped the person he is today. “If I had to go through what he went through, I don’t know how I would have turned out,” Liam said, highlighting the differences in their upbringing. While Liam’s parents were overly supportive, Zayn didn’t have the same experience growing up, which Liam believes played a role in Zayn’s behavior.

Liam also touched on Zayn’s legal troubles in 2021, when he was placed on probation after an alleged altercation with his ex-girlfriend Gigi Hadid’s mother, Yolanda. Zayn denied striking Yolanda but was still criticized in the media. While Liam expressed that he couldn’t condone Zayn’s actions, he explained that he understood what Zayn might have been going through. “I can’t commend some of the things that you’ve done, but I understand. I hope at some point, the person on the other end of the phone wants to receive the help you’re willing to give them,” Liam stated, showing empathy despite his disapproval.

Another moment that added to the tension between Liam and Zayn was the altercation between Zayn and Logan Paul’s younger brother, Jake, in 2020. Gigi Hadid defended Zayn on social media, calling Jake “ugly and irrelevant,” a tweet that didn’t age well according to Liam. He recalled how the situation blew up online, but also pointed out how complicated the dynamics between the people in Zayn’s life can be.

Despite the conflicts, Liam still expressed support for Zayn. He noted that understanding Zayn’s past and the difficulties he faced could explain some of his actions. However, he also made it clear that while he sympathizes with Zayn’s struggles, he couldn’t fully condone some of his behavior.

Liam also reflected on the time he spent with One Direction, admitting that there were moments of tension and even physical confrontations between band members. He shared a story about a backstage argument where a bandmate “threw him over a wall,” though he declined to name which member was involved. The incident was apparently resolved when the other member backed off.

Looking back on his career, Liam also mentioned his solo music journey, where he found it challenging to write his own songs but was surprised by the success of his debut single. “We did the first song, billion streams. I think it outsold everybody within the band,” he said. Despite this success, Liam confessed that he didn’t fully appreciate One Direction’s achievements while in the midst of the band’s popularity. “We never got time to celebrate,” he said with regret.

In summary, while Liam Payne has reasons to dislike Zayn Malik, his understanding of Zayn’s past and his personal struggles ensures that, despite the differences, he will always have his back. The story of their relationship is one of conflict, empathy, and growth.