Delroy Lindo speaks out on N-word outburst by Tourette’s activist at BAFTAs

Delroy Lindo says no one from BAFTA reached out to him and Michael B. Jordan after the pair had a racial slur hurled at them during the annual awards ceremony.

The “Sinners” co-stars were presenting the award for best visual effects to “Avatar: Fire and Ash” at London’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday when Tourette’s activist John Davidson shouted out the N-word.

Although Lindo, 73, later acknowledged that he and Jordan, 39, “did what [they] had to do” and kept presenting while speaking to Vanity Fair at a Warner Bros. afterparty, he also said that he wished “someone from BAFTA spoke to [them] afterwards.” 

Reps for Lindo and Jordan did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.

The British Academy released a statement apologizing to the actors on Monday and vowed to take “full responsibility” for the “very difficult situation.”

Davidson’s life served as the inspiration for the BAFTA-nominated film “I Swear.”

The biopic was nominated for five awards and scored rising star Robert Aramayo the BAFTA for best leading actor for his role as the Tourette’s campaigner.

Beyond the N-word incident, Davidson shouted several curse words throughout the night.

He also reportedly told BAFTA chair Sara Putt to “shut the f–k up” during her introductory speech, and was later heard shouting “f–k you” as the directors of “Boong” accepted the award for best children’s and family film.

Davidson said that he was “deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning” in a statement to Deadline Monday.

The BBC, which broadcast this year’s BAFTA Awards but failed to censor Davidson’s shocking remarks, issued its own apology following the controversy.

“Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the BAFTA Film Awards,” the broadcaster told Page Six in a statement. “This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and as explained during the ceremony it was not intentional.”

“We apologize that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it will now be removed from the version on BBC iPlayer,” the broadcaster added.

BAFTA Awards host Alan Cumming apologized for Davidson’s outbursts as well.

“You may have noticed some strong language in the background,” he told the audience. “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,” the actor added.

Cumming went on to address the incident further later on in the ceremony, explaining that “Tourette’s syndrome is a disability and the tics you’ve heard tonight are involuntary.”

“We apologize if you are offended tonight,” he said.

Aramayo defended Davidson amid the backlash and argued that the 54-year-old couldn’t control his comments.

“First of all, they are tics. He is ticking. We have to understand,” Aramayo, 33, told a BBC reporter after the incident, according to the Daily Mail. “The way we perceive Tourette’s is a joint responsibility. It’s not shouting obscenities.”

“It’s not being abusive. It’s Tourette’s. They are tics,” the BAFTA winner added. “If it can lead to a deeper understanding of Tourette’s, and movies are part of that conversation, then it’s an incredible thing.”

Other celebrities condemned Davidson’s use of the racial slur and the way the BBC, BAFTA and Cumming handled the incident and its aftermath.

Jamie Foxx, in the comments of an Instagram video of the incident, wrote that Davidson “meant that s–t” and called it “unacceptable.”

Wendell Pierce, who co-starred with Jordan in “The Wire,” said that it was “infuriating” that the “first reactions” from those involved weren’t “complete and full throatted [sic] apologies” to Jordan and Lindo.

“The insult to them takes priority,” Pierce, 62, tweeted. “It doesn’t matter the reasoning for the racist slur.”

“Sinners” production designer Hannah Beachler, who also reacted on social media, claimed that she was the target of one of Davidson’s racial slurs as well.

“The situation is almost impossible, but it happened 3 times that night, and one of the three times was directed at myself on the way to dinner after the show,” she wrote on X.

“I understand and deeply know why this is an impossible situation. I know we must handle this with grace and continue to push through,” Beachler, 55, added. “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.”