Daniel Kaluuya's Reaction To Reporter Who Mistook Him For Another Black Actor Immediately After Oscar Win Is Going Viral
Daniel Kaluuya should be one of the most recognizable faces in the world following his Academy Award win for Best Supporting Actor on Sunday night, but one reporter mistook him for a different Black actor.
The British-born star was fresh off of his win for his role as Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah when a reporter asked a question that lead many to believe she confused him with his fellow Best Supporting Actor nominee, Leslie Odom Jr.
“I want to congratulate you on this,” Margaret Gardiner, a journalist for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, told Kaluuya prior to asking her question. “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’s reaction became an instant viral meme. He followed up by asking Gardiner to “say that question again, please.”
Gardiner asked her question again and reframed it without mentioning Regina King.
But Twitter caught the error:
Odom Jr. worked under Regina King’s directing for One Night in Miami. He and Kaluuya were both nominated for Supporting Actor. Shaka King directed Judas and the Black Messiah.
Gardiner later took to Twitter and claimed she did not confuse Kaluuya with Odom Jr.
“Daniel Kaluuya, I did not mistake you for Leslie Odom Jr.,” she wrote. “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.”
In an additional tweet, responding to critics, Gardiner said she “messed up her question.”
“I’m sorry you assume I can’t tell these two talented men apart,” Gardiner tweeted. “I messed up my question. I won’t be believed. I apologize to Daniel, the assumption reflects the very world I wanted to ask about. I cannot defend this. I apologize.”
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Regardless, Daniel Kaluuya’s reaction just created a new meme for the stash. Congrats and salute.
