The former beauty queen has been raked over the coals for appearing to mix up actors Daniel Kaluuya and Leslie Odom Jr at a press conference following the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony.
Gardiner was covering Hollywood’s biggest night and was interviewing Daniel Kaluuya, who won best supporting actor for his portrayal of Fed Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah. In a clip that has gone viral, Gardiner initially asks the “Black Panther” star what it’s like being directed by Regina King.
However, Kaluuya didn’t star in the King-directed movie “One Night In Miami”, “Hamilton” actor Leslie Odom Jr. starred in that movie and was nominated in the same category as Kaluuya.
After the actor asked her to repeat the question following what seemed to be an awkward moment, Gardiner rephrased her question, asking, ”I was wondering what it meant for you to win with the world at the state that’s it’s in at the moment”.
To which Kaluuya answered, “It’s amazing to have this honor and be appreciated in this way“. However, social media users were quick to rake her over the coals for what was in their minds a complete mix-up of actors.
Take a look at the clip right here :
Daniel Kaluuya responds to a journalist who mistook him for Leslie Odom Jr. at the #Oscars and asked him: “What was it like being directed by Regina [King]?”
— Film Updates (@TheFilmUpdates) April 26, 2021
Odom Jr. was in #OneNightInMiami, directed by King. Kaluuya won for #JudasAndTheBlackMessiah. pic.twitter.com/CWLe0O9jZQ
Gardiner has since taken to Twitter to reiterate that she had not mixed the actors up saying that she was ‘misinterpreted’, #DanielKaluuya I did not mistake you for Leslie Odom Jnr. 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."
