Delroy Lindo addressed the incident at the BAFTAs for the first time during the actor’s appearance Saturday at NAACP Image Awards.
During the 2026 BAFTAs last week, Lindo and his Sinners co-star Michael B. Jordan were onstage when John Davidson, a Tourette’s advocate and subject of the film I Swear, involuntarily hurled the N-word at them during an outburst that shouldn’t have been broadcast, the BBC later admitted.
Both the BBC and Davidson apologized over the outburst, and while Lindo briefly remarked on the situation in the aftermath of the BAFTAs, he opened his presentation at the NAACP Image Awards by addressing the incident.
“Before we start, I’d just like to officially say, we appreciate — I appreciate — we appreciate all the support and the love that we have been shown in the aftermath of what happened last weekend. It means a lot to us,” Lindo said alongside Sinners director Ryan Coogler.
“It is an honor to be here amongst our people this evening. Among so many people who have shown us such incredible support. And it’s a classic case of something that could be very negative becoming very positive.”
Following last week’s incident, Davidson said in a statement, “I am, and always have been deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning… I chose to leave the auditorium early into the ceremony as I was aware of the distress my tics were causing.”
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Sinners production designer Hannah Beachler also addressed what she called an “almost impossible” situation. Beachler, who was in the room, said she heard Davidson say the N-word three times, including once directed at her, and another time at another Black woman.
“I understand and deeply know why this is an impossible situation,” Beachler wrote. “I know we must handle this with grace and continue to push through. But what made the situation worse was the throw away apology of ‘if you were offended’ at the end of the show. Of course we were offended… but our frequency, our spiritual vibration is tuned to a higher level than what happened. I am not [steel], this did not bounce off of me, but I exist above it. It can’t take away from who I am as an artist.”