Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic(NEW YORK) — Benedict Cumberbatch, star of the Oscar-nominated film The Imitation Game, apologized on Monday for comments he made on a PBS show in which he used the term “colored” to describe black actors.
While discussing diversity in Hollywood on Tavis Smiley, Cumberbatch said, “I think as far as colored actors go, it gets really difficult in the U.K.” Many people on social media and elsewhere called Cumberbatch’s choice of words inappropriate and racist.
On Monday, Cumberbatch said in a statement that he was devastated to have offended anyone, calling himself an idiot.
“I offer my sincere apologies,” Cumberbatch said. “I make no excuse for my being an idiot and know the damage is done.”
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