Delroy Lindo expressed to Vanity Fair following the BAFTA Film Awards that he had hoped officials from the awarding body would have communicated with him and Michael B. Jordan after an incident where the N-word was loudly used while they were presenting an award. The event occurred during the ceremony on Sunday night.
Lindo remarked on the situation, noting that he and Jordan “did what we had to do,” meaning they continued with their presentation despite the offensive word being audible throughout the venue.
He mentioned his disappointment, saying, “I wished someone from BAFTA had spoken to us afterwards.”
The offensive term was yelled by John Davidson, an advocate for Tourette’s syndrome, who was featured in the biographical film I Swear. The film won three awards at the BAFTAs that evening. Davidson was present in the audience at the Royal Festival Hall, and his vocal tics were inadvertently captured by the microphones, making it onto the BBC’s television broadcast.
During the event, BAFTA host Alan Cumming paused the ceremony momentarily to acknowledge Davidson’s condition. Unfortunately, the slur was also spoken aloud when Jordan and Lindo were presenting the award for Best Visual Effects to Avatar: Fire and Ash.
At one point, Davidson left the auditorium. He has been a prominent figure in advocating for Tourette’s syndrome, engaging in public speaking and various forms of activism to support others with the condition. In recognition of his efforts, Davidson was honored by Queen Elizabeth II in 2018 and was previously featured in the 1989 documentary, John’s Not Mad.
Davidson shared with BBC News last year, “Tourette’s is such a terrible condition that most of the time I don’t want to be the center of attention. I just wish to walk down the street without drawing attention due to my shouting or swearing.”
In the movie I Swear, Davidson is portrayed by Robert Aramayo, who described him as “the most remarkable man I’ve ever met” while accepting the Rising Star award.
Lindo, who has had a long career in acting, was born in Lewisham, London, to Jamaican parents and lived in the UK until he was twelve before moving to Canada and then Northern California. In a 2020 interview with the Guardian, he reflected on his career trajectory, saying, “Everything I have achieved in my life has come as a result of leaving England. I could never in a trillion years have had this career in England. Never.”
Earlier today, the BBC issued an apology for not editing out the offensive slur from their delayed broadcast of the BAFTAs.
Requests for further comments have been sent to the representatives of Lindo and Jordan.
Daniel Hayes is a business journalist with a focus on market trends, startups, and corporate strategies.
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