Tom Hiddleston apologizes for ‘inelegantly expressed’ Golden Globes speech
Tom Hiddleston has apologized for his “inelegantly expressed” acceptance speech at Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards, during which his efforts to bring attention to the civil war in South Sudan were, to some observers, overshadowed by what they perceived as self-congratulatory remarks.
“I just wanted to say… I completely agree that my speech at the Golden Globes last night was inelegantly expressed,” the Night Manager star said in a statement published to Facebook on Monday. “In truth, I was very nervous, and my words just came out wrong.”
In his speech, Hiddleston, 35, recounted a recent trip to South Sudan with the United Nations Children’s Fund. While there, he was approached by a group of doctors and nurses with Doctors Without Borders who said they had binge-watched The Night Manager during a period of shelling the month before.
Hiddleston said he was moved by “the idea that we could provide some relief and entertainment for people … who are fixing the world in the places where it is broken,” and he dedicated his win “to those out there who are doing their best.”
Despite his good intentions, Hiddleston was accused on social media of humble-bragging and trivializing a humanitarian crisis.
In his statement Monday, Hiddleston attempted to clear the air. “Sincerely, my only intention was to salute the incredible bravery and courage of the men and women who work so tirelessly for UNICEF UK, Doctors Without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and World Food Programme, and the children of South Sudan, who continue to find hope and joy in the most difficult conditions,” he wrote. “I apologise that my nerves got the better of me.”
