Delroy Lindo Speaks Out on Bafta N-Word Controversy
Delroy Lindo, the Oscar-nominated star of Sinners, has provided a detailed account of the shocking incident at the Bafta awards ceremony, where a racial slur was shouted during his presentation with co-star Michael B Jordan. In an interview with NPR's Fresh Air podcast, Lindo described having only "a nanosecond" to process the event before continuing with his duties.
'Did I Just Hear What I Thought I Heard?'
Lindo explained that he and Jordan were the first presenters of the evening, tasked with reading from a teleprompter. "There was a nanosecond, a nano of a nano of a nanosecond, when I'm thinking: 'Wait, did I just hear what I thought I heard?'" he told host Tonya Mosley. "But then, and it truly was a nanosecond, one had to read the teleprompter and get on with presenting the award." He added that Jordan had a "similar response," and they proceeded to fulfill their roles without further disruption.
Broadcast Apologies and Reviews
The incident occurred when Tourette syndrome activist John Davidson, who was attending the ceremony due to his film I Swear being nominated, shouted the slur. It was broadcast on BBC One in edited highlights, prompting apologies from both the BBC and Bafta. Both organisations have announced they will undertake reviews into what happened. Davidson has apologised, expressing deep upset over the slurs he shouted during the event.
Lindo's Windrush Heritage and Career
In the same interview, Lindo reflected on his background as a child of Windrush-generation immigrants in England. He highlighted their contributions to British society, stating, "The people of Windrush changed the definition of what it means to be British. They helped rebuild the construction industry, transportation industry, critically, the health industry, the National Health Service. My mom was a nurse." Lindo emigrated as a teenager to Canada and then the US, where he built his acting career.
Aftermath and Industry Reactions
Following the Bafta incident, Lindo mentioned at the Actor Awards that he appreciated "all the support and love that we have been shown." He had previously told Vanity Fair that he wished "someone from Bafta spoke to us afterwards." Meanwhile, fellow Sinners star Wunmi Mosaku described her Baftas win as "tainted" by the N-word incident, underscoring the broader impact on the film community.
This controversy has sparked discussions about broadcasting standards, disability awareness, and racial sensitivity in the entertainment industry, with ongoing reviews likely to influence future award ceremonies.
