{"id":824119,"date":"2026-03-14T00:25:40","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T00:25:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/824119\/"},"modified":"2026-03-14T00:25:40","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T00:25:40","slug":"im-in-hollywood-and-a-british-scandal-is-set-to-propel-an-oscars-underdog-to-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/824119\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I\u2019m in Hollywood and a British scandal is set to propel an Oscars underdog to victory’"},"content":{"rendered":"

It took all of ten minutes after arriving at a LA party earlier this week for a female partygoer to take me to one side and urgently whisper in my ear, writes Tom Bryant<\/p>\n

21:00, 13 Mar 2026Updated 22:43, 13 Mar 2026<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

(Image: Humphrey Nemar)<\/p>\n

It took all of ten minutes after arriving at a LA party earlier this week for a female partygoer to take me to one side, and urgently whisper in my ear. Sadly it wasn\u2019t a glamorous Hollywood actress but an enraged member of the Academy, whose paths I\u2019d crossed with previously, and whose votes are crucial come Oscars<\/a> night.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the hell happened at BAFTA<\/a>?\u201d they asked me. \u201cWhat the f*** were you lot thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

I wrote last month how the reputation of the British film industry could be trashed by the BBC\u2019s failure to edit out the N-word shouted at Sinners actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan<\/a>. But even I didn\u2019t quite expect the fall-out from the affair to be lingering in the warm California air quite as much as it is.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Inside Oscar nominee Rose Byrne’s life including very famous co-star partner<\/a>READ MORE: 20 iconic UK film sets you can enter for free for one week only<\/a>\"The<\/p>\n

The British film industry could be trashed by the BBC\u2019s failure to edit out the N-word shouted at Sinners actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan(Image: Getty Images for BAFTA)<\/p>\n

\"Wunmi<\/p>\n

Wunmi Mosaku has said how her own BAFTA win for Best Supporting Actress for the film was \u201ctainted\u201d by the row<\/p>\n

Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. <\/strong>Click here to activate <\/strong><\/a>or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In fact, even with Tinseltown in the grip of Oscars fever, it\u2019s a subject matter not far from people\u2019s lips. And that\u2019s mainly because Sinners – the film whose stars were so wronged by BAFTA and the BBC – is very much the talk of the town.<\/p>\n

There is a growing feeling that Jordan\u2019s and Lindo\u2019s dignified handling of the incident has seen the film gather momentum. Both of those men are up for awards, as well as Wunmi Mosaku, who has said how her own BAFTA win for Best Supporting Actress for the film was \u201ctainted\u201d by the row.<\/p>\n

You could sense that something was afoot at last month\u2019s NAACP Awards when Lindo and producer-writer-director Ryan Coogler drew a standing ovation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe appreciate all the support we\u2019ve been shown in the aftermath of what happened last weekend\u2026it\u2019s a classic case of something that could have been very negative becoming very positive,\u201d Lindo said to almost universal praise.<\/p>\n

The same Academy member who accosted me is one of 10,000 film industry figures who have cast their vote for Sunday night\u2019s awards.<\/p>\n

They told me: \u201cThe fact all this kicked off before voting closed on March 5 is a huge factor\u2026everyone is talking about how Sinners could cause a huge upset and pick up best film, and its stars could chalk up wins too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Delroy<\/p>\n

Delroy Lindo in a scene from Sinners(Image: AP)<\/p>\n

Before the incident, the momentum lay firmly with One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo di Caprio, who is also up for Best Actor.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would take an almighty swing to dislodge that film\u2026but it\u2019s not a done deal by any means, and the BAFTA debacle has been a huge factor,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n

Although BAFTA and the BBC both issued grovelling apologies to the actors, Lindo said at the time he wished \u201csomeone from BAFTA spoke to us afterward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another member told me how the \u201cshambolic\u201d handling of the affair had \u201cput into sharp perspective\u2026what could go wrong.\u201d They said: \u201cThe Oscars have royally messed up before with the Will Smith slap, and announcing the wrong winner\u2026.so the BAFTA thing was a gentle reminder for everyone to be alert.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is also a sense in town that the ceremony on Sunday night is set to be one of the most politically-charged in recent years. And that this, too, plays into Sinners\u2019 hands.<\/p>\n

The influential Los Angeles Times believes the \u201cdivisive political climate\u2026fuelled by President Trump…has reached fever-pitch proportions.\u201d<\/p>\n

And that a win for Sinners would represent a victory against Trump and what it calls his administration\u2019s \u201crelentless campaign against Black people and other nonwhite cultures.\u201d<\/p>\n

By Sunday night we will find out\u2026.<\/p>\n

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on <\/strong>TikTok <\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>Snapchat <\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>Instagram <\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>Twitter <\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>Facebook <\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>YouTube <\/strong><\/a>and <\/strong>Threads <\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n