N-word incident at BAFTA awards casts shadow over diversity leaps forward | Baftas 2026

forAfta’s mistake was big on Sunday night – but it was in the editing, or lack thereof. No one could stop John Davidson – who has Tourette’s Syndrome – from shouting the “N” word as two black actors, Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo, presented an award. But considering they used the two-hour time delay to wisely remove Akinola Davis Jr.’s cry of “Free Palestine!” Alan Cumming’s comparison of the themes of Zootropolis 2 (“lies, corrupt leaders, poisoning and oppression of race”) to contemporary America seems like a perverse decision not to remove the horrific slurs and involuntary screams from broadcast television.

Not least because it inevitably overshadows what should have been the bigger story: #BaftasSoWhite could (probably) be consigned to oblivion. As a reminder: The hashtag was trending in 2020, when there were no nominees of color for any acting awards, leading to a major overhaul of BAFTA’s rules, regulations and membership demographics. Few organizations have undertaken such radical work — the Academy Awards, and certainly the Globe Awards, lag behind by far — and yet a few remain perpetually criticized for the choices their members insist on making.

In general, BAFTA’s behind-the-scenes interventions are only successful at the longlisting stage, when it can ensure gender parity in the director category; When it comes to the shortlists, they can’t help but peruse as their members once again select a group of straight white men. (And again, it’s not necessarily their fault either, since voters are just the ultimate gatekeepers to whatever the film industry releases that year.)

However, wins for Wunmi Mosaku as Supporting Actress and Ryan Coogler for Best Original Screenplay, for both Sinners, and for My Father’s Shadow as Outstanding British Debut, suggest that change is on the horizon. Even more surprising, the win for best children’s and family film by the little-seen, barely-released animated film Boong (over the likes of Arco, Lilo & Stitch, and Zootropolis 2) is a huge win for the rule that bars voters from voting in a category unless they’ve already seen all the nominees.

However, surely the most triumphant justification for such action is Robert Aramayo’s remarkable snatch of the lead actor trophy from the clutches of seven-time nominee Leonardo DiCaprio and favorite Timothée Chalamet. Forcing people to watch a movie they wouldn’t otherwise watch doesn’t sound like a great thing, but it clearly did the trick for I Swear (the movie also got Best Cast). That audience members who did were also moved enough to name rising star Aramayo is the best public endorsement the film could hope for.

What Bafta now loses in Hollywood is more strengthening than it gains in big flops and real credibility. And maybe he can recover from shooting himself in the foot by leaving Davidson’s slurs on the broadcast. Aramayo’s letter urged understanding and compassion in the face of his condition, no matter how embarrassing the consequences. After all, Jordan and Lindo were smooth and graceful about the incident. This may be the last time anyone will mention that Denzel Washington didn’t receive a BAFTA nomination.