Actors Jamie Foxx and Wendell Pierce criticized the BAFTA Awards after a racial slur was shouted from the audience during the February 22 ceremony in London. The incident occurred as Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award. According to reports, the outburst came from John Davidson, a Tourette syndrome activist whose life inspired the film ‘I Swear’ (2025), which explores living with the condition.
BAFTA host Alan Cumming addressed the moment onstage, noting that involuntary vocal tics can be a symptom of Tourette syndrome. However, Pierce wrote on X that “the insult takes priority” regardless of the reasoning, while Foxx called the incident “unacceptable” on social media.
Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder that can involve involuntary motor and vocal tics, though symptoms vary widely. Click through the following gallery to learn more about the realities of living with Tourette syndrome.