Wunmi Mosaku Says Baftas Win Was ‘Tainted’ by N-Word Incident

Wunmi Mosaku, winner of the best supporting actress Bafta for her role in Sinners, stated that the N-word incident at the Baftas “tainted” her celebration and “kept [her] awake at night.” She shared her feelings whereas speaking in Los Angeles on Sunday at the Actor awards, where Sinners also won best cast.

The Incident at the Baftas

During the Baftas ceremony on February 22nd, Tourette syndrome activist John Davidson shouted a number of slurs, including the N-word, while Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage presenting an award. The slur was audible on the BBC’s broadcast of the event, leading to the show being removed from the BBC’s iPlayer platform the following day The Guardian.

Mosaku’s Response

Mosaku clarified that she holds no ill feelings toward John Davidson, acknowledging his condition. However, she expressed concern over the circumstances that allowed the incident to occur, stating it felt “exploitative and performative” to have someone present without adequate protection for all involved The Guardian.

Her primary frustration lies with the BBC’s decision to not edit out the slur from their broadcast. “That’s the bit that really kind of kept me awake at night and brought tears to my eyes. I was like, you really chose to keep that in. I can’t understand it,” Mosaku said, adding that she is unsure if she can forgive the BBC for its choice The Guardian.

BBC’s Apology and Investigation

The BBC has issued an apology for not editing out the racial slur from its Bafta Film Awards coverage. A BBC spokesperson stated the broadcast would be removed from BBC iPlayer BBC News. Kate Phillips, the BBC’s chief content officer, also apologized, calling the incident “distressing” and announcing a fast-track investigation into what went wrong.

According to sources at the BBC, producers “didn’t hear” the slur during the live broadcast The Guardian.

Reactions from Others

Delroy Lindo, who was on stage with Michael B. Jordan when the incident occurred, told Vanity Fair that they “did what we had to do” to continue presenting the award but wished someone from Bafta had spoken to them afterward BBC News. Bafta has acknowledged the harm caused and has pledged to address the situation and apologize to all affected parties BBC News.

John Davidson, whose life story inspired the film I Swear, expressed being “distraught” after the incident, stating that Bafta had assured him any swearing would be edited out of the broadcast BBC News.