Actress Wunmi Mosaku has spoken out about a controversial moment during last month’s Bafta Film Awards, saying the incident overshadowed what should have been a celebratory moment after she won Best Supporting Actress.
Mosaku, 39, received the award for her performance in the upcoming Ryan Coogler film Sinners, where she plays Annie, a Hoodoo healer navigating a turbulent world.
However, the moment quickly became controversial after the BBC broadcast a racial slur shouted by Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson during the ceremony.
In an interview with Glamour, Mosaku said the incident cast a shadow over her achievement.
“The Bafta win has been clouded by this incident,” she said. “It’s been incredibly challenging since the BBC chose to broadcast what it did.”
The actress said she was preparing to present the next award when the moment unfolded.
“I was up for the next award, so as I left the stage, I saw my castmates and we embraced,” she recalled.
Mosaku also questioned why the remark was not removed from the broadcast before airing.
“We were assured it was a family-friendly show airing at 7 p.m. with a two-hour delay,” she said. “Everyone affected deserved the courtesy of having it removed.”
The incident occurred while Sinners co-stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award during the London ceremony.
Following criticism, BBC director-general Tim Davie issued an apology and said the broadcaster “profoundly regretted” the incident.
An investigation by the BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit later described the decision to air the moment as a “serious error in judgment.”
Mosaku said she later found comfort attending the NAACP Image Awards in California with her co-stars.
She described the event as a “healing” experience after the controversy surrounding the Baftas.
Beyond the awards season drama, Mosaku also spoke about changes in her personal life, including her recent ADHD diagnosis and her focus on family as she prepares for motherhood.
“I now factor my ADHD into everything,” she said, explaining that she prioritizes home life over social obligations and constant online communication.
