Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP / Getty Images
Ryan Coogler made BAFTA history Sunday night (February 22).
Coogler’s vampire epic Sinners became the most decorated film directed by a Black filmmaker in BAFTA history, winning three awards at the 2026 ceremony and surpassing the previous record set by 12 Years a Slave in 2014.
The film entered the night with 13 nominations — the most ever for a project directed by a Black filmmaker in BAFTA history — and converted three of them into wins: Best Supporting Actress for Wunmi Mosaku, Best Original Score for Ludwig Göransson, and Best Original Screenplay for Coogler. With that victory, Coogler became the first Black writer to win in the Original Screenplay category.
“I didn’t expect that. This is nerve-racking,” Coogler said on stage before thanking the community that supported his journey as a writer. “I come from a community that loves me. They made me believe that I could do this.”
Released in April 2025, Sinners blended Southern Gothic horror, blues music, and historical themes into an original story that resonated globally. The film grossed approximately $368 million worldwide, a significant box office achievement for a non-franchise, original property. It also recently made Academy Awards history with 16 nominations — the most ever for a single film.
But while Coogler and his team were celebrating, another moment during the ceremony sparked backlash.
As Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award, an audience member with Tourette syndrome shouted the N-word. The incident aired in the BBC’s delayed broadcast and quickly went viral.
Host Alan Cumming addressed the audience, explaining that Tourette syndrome involves involuntary tics and apologizing “if anyone was offended.” The phrasing drew criticism from actors, including Wendell Pierce, who said the apology should have directly centered Jordan and Lindo, and Jamie Foxx, who called the slur “unacceptable.”
Oscar-winning production designer Hannah Beachler later revealed the slur was shouted three times that evening, including once directed at her personally, and described the apology as a “throw away” moment. The BBC has since apologized for airing the incident.
The duality of the night was hard to ignore. On one hand, BAFTA’s recognition of Sinners reflects measurable change within an institution that faced intense scrutiny in 2020 over its lack of diversity, prompting reforms to its nomination and voting processes. On the other, the interruption served as a reminder that even historic wins for Black creatives can unfold alongside moments of harm.
Still, Coogler’s achievement stands. Sinners broke records. A Black writer won in a category that had never recognized one before. A Black-led original story dominated both at the box office and on one of Britain’s biggest film stages.
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