Benedict Cumberbatch apologized for referring to black people as "colored "during his guest appearance on "Tavis Smiley," according to Daily Mail.
The British actor expressed his apology by describing himself as an "idiot" and he is "devastated to have caused offense." In an interview, Cumberbatch said that he is saddened by the fact that he affected the public with his outdated term. He added that he will not make excuses since he knows that the "damage is done."
The actor added that the incident will hopefully emphasize that it is important to use better terms that are not offensive to other people. Cumberbatch said that the most humiliating part is that he used the term while discussing about the "racial inequality" in UK's film industry.
The "Imitation Game" star expressed that he feels like a "fool" and is truly remorseful about his error. Cumberbatch assured the public that he learned from his slip-up. The actor apologized several times for the improper language used especially because the issue has affected some of his friends whom he genuinely cares about.
On Jan. 21, Cumberbatch used the term "colored" to refer to black people while expressing his views of the lack of diversity in the British film industry. The actor said that celebrities like Edris Elba and David Oyelowo has succeeded in America but failed to have more projects in their own country, Telegraph reported.
Cumberbatch cited films such as "Selma" and "12 Years a Slave" as opportunities for black actors to showcase their brilliant performances. He said that he thinks "as far as colored actors go" it is a challenge to succeed in UK's film industry.
Despite the term, Cumberbatch did not say discriminating views and even said that his friends fared better in America than their home country and he thinks that should be changed.
The "Sherlock" star received backlash from social media for his "colored" comment. Netizens said that it was "racist" and also "inappropriate." Some social media users pointed out that although Cumberbatch had a good point of view, the term "colored" was not actually helpful.
Amidst controversies, Cumberbatch is nominated for Best Actor in the Oscars for his role as Alan Turing in "The Imitation Game."