Actor Delroy Lindo has addressed the events of last night’s British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) after Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson could be heard shouting numerous times.
This included a racial slur while Lindo and Michael B. Jordan were presenting the award for best visual effects.
At the Warner Bros. after-party following the ceremony, Lindo spoke to Vanity Fair, admitting that he and Jordan ‘did what we had to do’ while presenting—but that he also wished ‘someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterward.’
Davidson, who was diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome after developing tics and uncontrollable vocalisations as a teenager, was shouting because of involuntary tics brought on by the condition.
The 54-year-old was recently the inspiration behind I Swear, which follows a young Scottish man suffering from the disorder, as he eventually comes to terms with his condition and campaigns for it in order to raise awareness.
Davidson reportedly left before the second half of the BAFTAs (Dominic Lipinski/Getty Images)
Despite the incident, Lindo was reported to be in good spirits at the BAFTAs afterparty, as Jordan attended an afterparty hosted by British GQ and Vogue.
BAFTAs host Alan Cumming made sure to clarify Davidson’s outbursts to the audience, saying: “You may have noticed some strong language in the background. This can be part of how Tourette’s syndrome shows up for some people as the film explores that experience.
“Thanks for your understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone.”
Cumming said in a later statement: “Tourette’s Syndrome is a disability and the tics you’ve heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette’s Syndrome has no control over their language. We apologise if you are offended tonight.”
The incident forced the BBC to release a statement after it broadcast the N-word despite a two-hour delay.
The broadcaster acknowledged the ‘strong and offensive language’ heard, explaining that it came from ‘involuntary verbal tics’ linked to Tourette’s before editing the version on BBC iPlayer.
Robert Aramayo, who portrayed Davidson in I Swear, spoke to reporters after winning best actor and the rising star award, explaining that it was a ‘joint responsibility’.
Lindo was on-stage with Jordan when Davidson was heard saying the N-word (Iona Wolff/BAFTA via Getty Images)
The 33-year-old said: “First of all, there are tics. He is ticking. We have to understand. The way we perceive Tourette’s is a joint responsibility.
“It’s not shouting obscenities. It’s not being abusive. It’s Tourettes. They are tics. If it can lead to a deeper understanding of Tourettes, and movies are part of that conversation, then it’s an incredible thing.”
While highlighting that ‘it’s complicated and complex’, needing ‘us to have grace’, other celebrities felt uneasy about Davidson’s actions.
Jamie Foxx said that Davidson ‘meant that s***’ in the comment section of an Instagram post featuring a clip of the moment at London’s Royal Festival Hall.
He added: “Out of all the words, you could’ve said Tourette’s makes you say that… unacceptable.”
LADbible has previously contacted BAFTA for comment.
Aramayo came to Davidson’s defence (Aurore Marechal/Getty Images)What is Coprolalia (involuntary swearing)?
Coprolalia is a condition which affects one in 10 people with Tourette’s syndrome, involving the involuntary blurting out of obscene language.
The Tourette Association of America clarifies: “Particularly embarrassing for some individuals with coprolalia are involuntary outbursts within social contexts, such as racial or ethnic slurs in the company of the very people who would be most offended by such remarks.
“A minority of people with coprolalia have this particular problem. It is crucial to understand that these words or complex phrases do not necessarily reflect the thoughts, beliefs or opinions of the person with coprolalia.”
As explained by the CDC, people with Tourette’s have no control over their tics, with many comparing it to ‘having an itch or having to sneeze’.
It is said on the website that while you may try to stop it from happening, ‘you will probably scratch or sneeze and you will feel a little better until the urge comes back’.
Who is John Davidson?
Davidson was the subject of 1989 BBC documentary John’s Not Mad, which followed him as a 16-year-old schoolboy diagnosed with severe Tourette’s syndrome.
He appeared in several follow-up documentaries as he grew up, and his story has been adapted into the film I Swear.
Robert Aramayo stars as Davidson and won Best Actor at the BAFTAs last night, beating out Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke and Michael B Jordan.
Davidson went on to be honoured with an MBE in 2019, and due to his nerves exacerbating his tics, he swore in front of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
He told the BBC: “I began ticcing and shouting and I was absolutely mortified.
“But then I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was one of the Royal Archers, the Queen’s bodyguards while she’s in Holyrood, and a voice said ‘Don’t stress, she knows all about your condition’.
“That to me was huge because I’ve struggled so much with everyday life, with people misunderstanding, and if the Queen of the United Kingdom can understand and ignore the tics and the swear words then why can’t the rest of society?”