Tourette’s activist John Davidson said he’s humiliated after shouting the N-word at Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo during the 2026 BAFTA Awards Sunday.
Davidson shared in a statement to Deadline that he’s “deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning.”
“I was in attendance to celebrate the film of my life, ‘I Swear,’ which, more than any film or TV documentary, explains the origins, condition, traits, and manifestations of Tourette Syndrome,” he continued.
“I have spent my life trying to support and empower the Tourette’s community and to teach empathy, kindness, and understanding from others, and I will continue to do so. I chose to leave the auditorium early into the ceremony as I was aware of the distress my tics were causing.”
BAFTA also apologized “unreservedly” for the incident in a statement Monday, noting it took “full responsibility” for putting its “guests in a very difficult situation.”
“We would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism,” it said in part.
“We take the duty of care to all our guests very seriously and start from a position of inclusion,” it also noted. “We took measures to make those in attendance aware of the tics, announcing to the audience before the ceremony began, and throughout, that John was in the room and that they may hear strong language, involuntary noises or movements during the ceremony.”
It concluded, “We will learn from this, and keep inclusion at the core of all we do, maintaining our belief in film and storytelling as a critical conduit for compassion and empathy.”
Jordan and Lindo were presenting the award for best visual effects to “Avatar: Fire and Ash” at the BAFTA Awards when the shocking outburst could be heard by the audience.
The “Sinners” stars continued presenting despite the awkward moment, and BAFTA host Alan Cumming apologized afterward.
“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,” Cumming told the audience. “Thanks for your understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone.”
Cumming later addressed it further, noting, “the person who has Tourette’s syndrome has no control over their language.”
The BBC apologized Monday for not editing out the moment prior to broadcast.
“It will now be removed from the version on BBC iPlayer,” a spokesperson for the broadcaster said in a statement.
Lindo later said that nobody from BAFTA reached out to him and Jordan after the racial slur was hurled at them.
Lindo, 73, 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, and said that he wished “someone from BAFTA spoke to [them] afterwards.”
Davidson is the inspiration for the BAFTA-nominated movie “I Swear,” which is based on his life.
Tourette’s syndrome is a disorder that involves repetitive movements or unwanted sounds, or tics, that can’t be easily controlled, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The incident has garnered strong reaction. Jamie Foxx criticized Davidson in an Instagram comment, calling the moment “unacceptable.”
“nah he meant that s–t,” Foxx wrote. “Out of all the words, you could’ve said Tourette’s makes you say that?”
However, actor Robert Aramayo — who won a BAFTA Sunday for best actor for his portrayal of Davidson in “I Swear” — defended him.
“First of all, they are tics. He is ticking. We have to understand,” he told a BBC reporter after the ceremony on Sunday, per 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,” he 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.”
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