‘My Father’s Shadow’ Actor Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù Criticizes “Institutional Racism” Behind BBC “Censoring” Akinola Davies Jr.’s BAFTA Speech But Airing Racist Slur
My Father’s Shadow lead Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù shared a lengthy statement on Instagram Monday evening, criticizing what he described as the “institutional racism” behind the BBC’s decision to edit Akinola Davies Jr.’s BAFTA speech but air John Davidson’s involuntary slur. Read the statement in full below.
“On a night of incredible joy and celebration, not only of our film but many other wonderful artists, especially black artists, this is the biggest talking point walking away from the evening,” Dìrísù wrote in the statement. “I didn’t want to fuel the discourse about it, but like Vinícius Júnior, racism, bigotry, and injustice have to be exposed and shouted from the rooftops.”
With mention of Vinícius Júnior, Dìrísù is referring to the media discussion about racism in European football after Real Madrid star Júnior reported racist abuse during a game against Portuguese side Benfica.
Dìrísù continued: “That the BBC found wonderfully creative ways to censor Akinola’s beautiful speech about inclusivity and justice and freedom, but were comfortable and actively made the decision to broadcast a message of hate and intolerance shows where its priorities lie.”
Dìrísù added he is not “ignorant” to how “institutionally racist the UK, the industry, or the BBC are and continues to prove themselves to be.” But he said the actions still hurt when “it’s thrown in your face in front of the world.”
The Gangs of London actor ended his statement by commending Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo, whom he described as “gracious, dignified, and defiant.”
The fallout from Sunday’s BAFTA awards has been major. During the ceremony, John Davidson, the subject of the movie I Swear, could be heard shouting various expletives throughout the ceremony due to his Tourette’s, and shouted the N-word when Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award. He subsequently left the auditorium.
The BBC has been widely criticized for leaving up a version of the ceremony on iPlayer in which the racial slur was audible for 15 hours before it was taken down. The broadcaster did, however, edit a significant portion of Davies Jr.’s BAFTA speech, including a part where he says “free Palestine.”
We analyzed how the BBC missed the slur and was so slow to respond. BAFTA published a statement about the incident. You can read that here, and so has Davidson, which you can read here. Davidson’s expletives have dominated what should have been a terrific night for Studiocanal’s I Swear, which pulled a surprise in the shape of Robert Aramayo winning best actor over the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet.
Davidson has campaigned for rights for people Tourette’s syndrome for decades. The BBC met prior to the BAFTAs to discuss what might happen were he to swear during the broadcast. Lindo told Vanity Fair he wishes a representative for the awards body had reached out to him and Jordan after the word was shouted. Sinners production designer Hannah Beachler, meanwhile, criticized host Alan Cumming’s on-stage apology.
