During last night's BAFTAs ceremony, one of the most talked-about moments unfolded as Zoe Saldaña was gently ushered off stage mid-speech. Just moments prior, the screen legend had been honored with the Best Supporting Actress award for her captivating performance in the Netflix musical-drama, Emilia Pérez, which has garnered numerous accolades this season, despite facing some online scrutiny from critics.
While TV viewers witnessed Saldaña receiving her well-deserved accolade, the BBC opted to censor the latter part of her heartfelt speech. What exactly did the audience at the Royal Festival Hall hear that was omitted from the broadcast?
Competing in a prestigious category filled with heavyweights, such as Ariana Grande for her portrayal of Glinda in Wicked, Felicity Jones for her role in The Brutalist, and Isabella Rossellini for Conclave, Saldaña emerged victorious. Other notable nominees included Jamie Lee Curtis for her performance in The Last Showgirl and Saldaña's Emilia Pérez co-star, Selena Gomez.
Despite the evening marking a triumphant milestone for the 46-year-old actress, parts of her speech were unfortunately cut from the televised broadcast. The reasoning behind this decision? According to the BBC, who shared with LADbible, the edit was due to "time constraints."
In an official statement, the British broadcaster clarified, "As in previous years, due to the nature of the show being broadcast with a slight delay, we strive to preserve the core sentiment of acceptance speeches. However, edits are inevitably necessary because of time constraints."
It's plausible that the inclusion of a few expletives in her speech could have sealed its fate, given the BBC's stringent no-swearing policy. The full version of Saldaña's speech, subsequently shared on the official BAFTAs YouTube account, painted a vivid picture of her emotions and gratitude.
She began, "My children told me not to cry, so I'll do my best." Expressing her heartfelt thanks to BAFTA, she continued, "This recognition is incredibly validating and a genuine honor, especially since, on the rare occasions I attempted a British accent for a role, the dialect coach doubted my abilities."
"Despite having numerous British friends and inadvertently adopting their phrases like 'gather' and 'of course,' I know I can be quite the handful. But thankfully, I've managed to keep most of them as friends," she joked.
"BAFTA, thank you. This was a creative challenge like no other. How do you approach a film that defies categorization? You start by taking a leap of faith with Jacques Audiard. I want to express my deepest gratitude to my incredible cast," she added.
As a prompter signaled the countdown of her remaining seconds, Saldaña humorously exclaimed, "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" She then concluded, "Films are meant to touch hearts and challenge minds. I hope I've contributed to that in some way. Voices need to be heard, just perhaps not mine in a British accent."
After her speech, Saldaña shared with journalists, "I dedicate all these awards and the film Emilia Pérez to my nephew, Eli. He was the inspiration behind my involvement in this project. As the proud aunt of a transgender individual, I will always stand in solidarity with my transgender community."
