Warner Bros. reacted quickly to the N-word controversy at Sunday’s BAFTA Film Awards, but their concerns were reportedly ignored.
Sources who spoke to Variety say that after Tourette’s activist John Davidson unintentionally went on a rant while Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting the first awards of the night, studio executives immediately raised the issue with BAFTA and demanded that the incident be removed from the BBC’s time-delayed broadcast later that night.
The person also said Warner Bros. executives were in contact with BAFTA throughout Sunday night, met with them on Monday and were confident the request had been passed on.
However, the broadcast caused further outrage as racial slurs were broadcast unedited, leading to an apology from the BBC. However, the BBC’s claim that producers did not know what was said until after it aired is now being called into question following the source’s account of the legal proceedings. Many commentators online have also questioned how and why the incident (which was heard at the ceremony venue) was not immediately communicated to the TV show’s producers.
The incident, and the response to it by both the BBC and BAFTA, sparked a storm of outrage that continues to reverberate. BAFTA issued a statement late Monday, saying it “takes full responsibility for the extremely difficult situation our guests were placed in and apologizes to everyone.” He also said he would like to “unreservedly apologize” to Jordan and Lind. “I would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism.”
Variety’s sister publication Deadline first broke the news of Warner Bros.’ contact with BAFTA.
