Following the unfortunate incident at the BAFTA Awards last week (Feb. 28) — in which a man with Tourette’s shouted out the N-word as “Sinners” stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage — there has been an outpouring of support from Black Hollywood for the actors. While appearing on the red carpet for the NAACP Image Awards Saturday (Feb. 28), their “Sinners” co-star Jayme Lawson called out the BBC and BAFTAs about the mismanagement of the incident.
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After acknowledging the grace and decorum that Jordan and Lindo were commendable, she shared her thoughts on what that moment exposed about the industry.
“Institutionally, we still don’t understand what inclusion means,” Lawson said. “Just because you invite someone into a space but you don’t provide them with the necessary resource to keep them and everyone else in that room by being there, that’s not inclusivity…that’s exploitation.”
Lawson argued that Davidson’s disability was exploited, leading to “multiple offenses.” She made a direct critique of the network’s choices. “And then for the BBC to air what they aired, right, is careless. And not like some haphazard accident,” Lawson continues. “A real lack of care was exercised for those two Black men.”
She added that the BBC has the capability to censor content that doesn’t align with its interests. “They censored Akinola [Davies Jr. ]’s speech, the director of ‘My Father’s Shadow,’ which is an amazing film, by the way. So you censored one Black man, you failed to protect two others, and our production designer, Hannah [Beachler]. You do not care for our dignity or our humanity.”
“You want to celebrate our art, but you won’t protect it. And that’s why we celebrate ‘Sinners,’” she concluded. That’s why we celebrate Ryan [Coogler]. That’s why we show up for NAACP because those are spaces where we feel safe.”
Social media responded to Lawson’s comments, largely echoing her sentiments.
“My girl been waiting to be asked this question,” one TikTok user wrote, praising her readiness.
Another user posted, “No, she ate this up 👏🏾👏🏾😩 because for them to put microphones by a man with Tourette’s and then edit out almost every other thing he said, but those slurs is insane.”
The conversation continued on X, where viewers pointed out the hypocrisy of the broadcast.
“She literally is calling out BBC and the BAFTA’s,” one user wrote. “She literally said they exploited the man’s disability, cause why was that broadcasted everywhere?”
“Jayme Lawson absolutely said the right thing: a man with Tourette’s was exploited,” and X user posted in frustration. “Assuming the censoring of many elements was done by BAFTA, allegedly, they used John Davidson’s random outburst to create division and needlessly. Many people agreed Mr. Davidson is not at fault. It lies with BBC and BAFTA. They no longer stand for what they preach.”
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