BAFTA Awards Marred by Racist Slur Amidst Uncomfortable On-Stage Moment
The recent BAFTA Awards ceremony was overshadowed by a deeply disturbing incident when a racist slur was audibly directed at actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan as they presented an award on stage. Lindo, speaking out in the aftermath, expressed his disappointment that BAFTA officials did not address the offensive outburst with him and Jordan directly following the event.
The incident occurred while Lindo and Jordan, co-stars in the film Sinners, were on stage to present the award for Best Visual Effects to Avatar: Fire and Ash. The racial slur was reportedly shouted from the audience by John Davidson, who was present at the ceremony as the subject of the nominated biopic I Swear. Microphones at the event captured the offensive term.
Davidson has publicly shared that he has been diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, a neurological condition that causes involuntary vocal and physical tics. Reports from the ceremony indicated that Davidson experienced multiple audible outbursts throughout the evening. As noted by other publications, these were not isolated incidents, with Davidson reportedly shouting phrases such as “shut the fk up” during an introductory speech by BAFTA chair Sara Putt and “fk you” as the directors of Boong, which won the BAFTA for Best Children’s and Family Film, accepted their award.
Sources close to the situation revealed that floor managers had reportedly warned guests seated near Davidson about his condition. However, these warnings did not specify the nature or severity of the potential vocal outbursts. Crucially, it was also reported that neither nominees nor other attendees were pre-warned by BAFTA or the BBC about the possibility of such incidents.
Wider Impact: A Pattern of Offensive Language
The fallout from the incident has extended beyond the immediate on-stage moment. In the days following the ceremony, Oscar-winning production designer Hannah Beachler came forward with her own harrowing experience, stating that she was also targeted by the same racial slur during the same evening.
Beachler, a pioneering figure who became the first African American to win an Academy Award for Production Design for her work on Black Panther in 2018, shared her feelings on social media. She expressed the difficulty in finding the words to describe the experience, stating it happened three times that night, with one instance directed at her personally as she was on her way to dinner after the show.
Beachler further elaborated that another individual subjected to Davidson’s outburst was also a Black woman. While acknowledging the complexity of the situation, she expressed her dissatisfaction with the response from BAFTA host Alan Cumming. She felt Cumming’s on-stage apology, which was phrased as “if you were offended,” was inadequate. Beachler stated that of course they were offended, but her “frequency” and “spiritual vibration” allowed her to rise above the incident, asserting that it could not diminish her identity as an artist.
Video clips capturing Davidson’s involuntary outburst during Lindo and Jordan’s presentation quickly circulated online, prompting Cumming to later address the audience. He thanked them for their “understanding” regarding Davidson’s condition.
BAFTA’s Response and the Nature of Tourette Syndrome
Addressing the incident from the stage at London’s Royal Festival Hall, Cumming informed the audience about Davidson’s Tourette syndrome. He explained that it is a disability, and the vocal tics heard were involuntary, meaning the individual had no control over their language. Cumming then offered an apology “if it has caused offence.”
Tourette syndrome is a complex neurological disorder characterized by sudden, repetitive, non-rhythmic motor movements or vocalizations called tics. According to NHS England, it affects approximately one in every 100 children.
Reports indicated that Davidson appeared to depart the ceremony during the latter half of the show, as his outbursts became inaudible. However, it was clarified that he left of his own volition and was not asked to leave. A source confirmed that Davidson was an “invited guest” and there was “no circumstance” under which he would have been removed.
It is worth noting that Davidson has a history of advocacy for Tourette syndrome awareness, having been awarded an MBE for his work in this area. In a past reflection on receiving this honour, he recounted an instance where he involuntarily swore at Queen Elizabeth II and, during a security check at Holyrood Palace, felt compelled to inform police officers that he had “a f***ing bomb!”
The biopic I Swear, which chronicles Davidson’s early life and his journey navigating his diagnosis in Glasgow, was nominated for Outstanding British Film but ultimately lost to Hamnet. The film’s star, Robert Aramayo, had a successful night, winning the BAFTA for Lead Actor, surpassing strong contenders like Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet. Aramayo also secured the EE Rising Star Award, the sole publicly voted prize of the evening.
