Delroy Lindo broke his silence on the Bafta racial slur controversy during Saturday night's NAACP Image Awards ceremony in Pasadena.
The 73-year-old actor appeared alongside Sinners director Ryan Coogler to warm applause at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, where he delivered his first public remarks since the incident at last weekend's London ceremony.
"I'd just like to officially say, I appreciate, we appreciate all the support and love we have been shown in the aftermath of what happened last weekend. It means a lot to us," Mr Lindo told the audience.
The veteran performer characterised the experience as "a classic case of something that could be very negative becoming very positive."
Ryan Coogler and Delroy Lindo at the NAACP Awards
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He spoke of the "honour" of attending the awards ceremony surrounded by his community.
Earlier in the evening, Regina Hall had set the tone whilst presenting the ceremony's opening award.
The actress paused proceedings to direct attention towards Mr Jordan and Mr Lindo in the audience, describing them as "two kings."
"I just send you so much love for your class," Ms Hall declared to the pair.
Sinners won big at the NAACP Awards
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Her tribute prompted the crowd to rise as one to applaud the Sinners stars.
The controversy erupted at the 79th Bafta Awards when Tourette's campaigner John Davidson, seated in the audience, involuntarily shouted the N-word as Mr Jordan and Mr Lindo took to the stage to present the Best Visual Effects award.
Mr Davidson, an executive producer on the Bafta-nominated film I Swear, departed his seat partway through the ceremony.
The outburst reached a wider audience when it aired during the BBC's coverage, which had been pre-recorded with a two-hour delay before transmission on BBC One.
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Delroy Lindo thanked the audience for their support
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Critics noted that whilst other remarks, including political statements, were reportedly edited from the broadcast, the racial slur remained.
Mr Davidson similarly criticised the BBC and Bafta for leaving the comment in the edit, as well as positioning a microphone close to his seat.
Bafta subsequently issued a full apology, accepting "full responsibility" for the incident and pledging to conduct a "comprehensive review" of the ceremony.
On Saturday night, Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson, collecting the award for best comedy actress, offered her own message of solidarity to the Sinners team.
Mr Davidson's involuntary verbal tics were audible in the broadcast | GETTY "We see you. We're behind you…Love you," she told them from the stage.
The Ryan Coogler-directed film dominated proceedings, securing 13 awards from its 18 nominations across major categories, with Mr Jordan claiming the Best Actor prize for his performance.
Mr Lindo himself received the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture award.
Speaking alongside Mr Coogler, Mr Lindo reflected on the significance of spaces where Black artists need not justify themselves.
"There's a unique strength in being in this space — a space where we don't need to justify ourselves, or where our narratives aren't mere footnotes. They are the central narrative," he observed.