A journalist and member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has claimed on Twitter that she did not confuse British Oscar-winner Daniel Kaluuya with American actor and singer Leslie Odom Jr during a press conference at Sunday's Academy Awards.
"#DanielKaluuya I did not mistake you for Leslie Odom Jnr," tweeted Margaret Gardiner on Monday. "I'm sorry if it seemed that way. I had wanted to ask about Regina King not being nominated as a director for One Night in Miami ..., and your win for Judas and the Black Messiah for the community at this time."
She said: "There was a sound issue so I dropped the part about Regina King and restated my question. What does it mean for the community at this time. When I listened to the audio, I do understand, but there was no confusion."
What happened?
The incident occurred during an online press conference after Kaluuya won the Best Supporting Actor award, a category that Odom Jr was also nominated in. Kaluuya won for his role in Judas and the Black Messiah, directed by Shaka King, while Leslie Odom Jr was nominated for his role in One Night in Miami ..., directed by Regina King.
“I want to congratulate you on this,” Gardiner told Kaluuya. “I’ve been following you since the beginning of your career, and I was wondering what it meant for you to be directed by Regina [King], what this means for you at this time with the world in the state that it’s in.”
Kaluuya responded by telling Gardiner: “Say that question again, please,” although it was unclear if that was because of an audio issue or because he was confused by her question about working with King.
When Gardiner asked her question again, she rephrased it and did not mention King.
Reaction to her apology
However, fans who watched weren't buying Gardiner's apology, in which she claims she only "misspoke". Some had suggested she learn from this mistake rather than simply deny it.
"Your unwillingness to apologise and own it speaks volumes," wrote one Twitter user.
"It would've been slightly less embarrassing if you said nothing," wrote another.
While another said the question she had asked in general was "lazy" and could have been directed at any black actor, making it "more plausible" that she had indeed confused the two actors.
Some also pointed out that there wasn't a sound issue and that Kaluuya was being courteous in asking her to repeat the question.
In the end, Gardiner issued one final tweet apologising to Kaluuya and anyone else who had been "offended" by her words.
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Scroll through our gallery below to see our best dressed men from the Oscars:
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Daniel Kaluuya arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. EPA -
Riz Ahmed arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. EPA -
Leslie Odom Jr arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. EPA -
Jon Batiste arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Tyler Perry arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. EAPPA -
Colman Domingo arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. Reuters -
Lakeith Stanfield arrives at a screening of the 93rd Academy Awards in London, England, on April 25, 2021. Reuters -
Questlove arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. EPA -
Gary Oldman arrives at a screening of the 93rd Academy Awards in London, England, on April 26, 2021. Reuters -
Steven Yeun arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. EPA -
Kemp Powers arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Ramin Bahrani arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Erick Oh arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Van Hunt, left, and Halle Berry arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford arrive at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. EPA -
Paulina Porizkova and Aaron Sorkin arrive at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. Reuters -
Rickard Goransson arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. Reuters -
Darius Marder and Abraham Marder arrive at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. Reuters -
Kellen Quinn arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Martin Desmond Roe, left, and Travon Free arrive at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Sacha Ben Harroche arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. EPA -
Carlos Cortes arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
D'Mile arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Will Berson arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Daniel Pemberton arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Lee Isaac Chung, left, and Valerie Chung arrive at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Shaka King arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Jeremy Molod arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Sean Faden arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Atticus Ross arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Michael Scheuerman arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Dan Swimer arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Celeste Waite, left, and Daniel Pemberton arrive at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Mark Ricker arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
Emile Mosseri arrives at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP -
David Rubin, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, left, and Dawn Hudson, chief executive officer of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, arrive at the 93rd Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California, on April 25, 2021. AP
