Viewers have been cringing after Selena Gomez was shown struggling to announce Kneecap after the movie about the Irish rap band won an award at this year’s BAFTA awards.
Gomez came up to present alongside Zoe Saldana, her Emilia Perez co-star, who herself made headlines for a swearing-filled acceptance speech that the BBC cut parts of for their broadcast.
The pair came up to present Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer, with Kneecap winning out over films such as Dev Patel’s Monkey Man.
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Gomez went to announce the win, saying 'I don't know how to say...' before passing the card over to Saldana.
This eventually ended with her realising it was pronounced... well how you'd expect Kneecap to be pronounced.
The gaffe led to a number of jokes about the subject on X.
One viewer tweeted: "Selena Gomez announcing kneecap this is cinema #BAFTA2025 TIOCFAIDH AR LAAAA."
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Another tweeted: "Selena Gomez saw Gaelic and panicked."
Kneecap follows the Irish rap group that have made headlines for their controversial lyrics that are frequently critical of the British Empire, the Monarchy, and the Conservative party.
The three rappers Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí all played themselves in the film, which Rich Peppiatt received the award for directing.
He said in his acceptance speech: "15 years ago, I actually met my wife and a decade later she convinced me to move to Belfast.
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"Within two weeks of moving to Belfast, I met Kneecap, and now I'm standing here.
"It's weird how life works like that.
He went on to say of Kneecap: "Kneecap is more than a film. It's a movement.
"It's about how everyone should have their language respected.
"They should have their culture respected and they should have their homeland respected. And so this award is dedicated to everyone who's out there fighting that fight."
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The rappers rap predominantly in Irish, which the latest Irish census found to be a language spoken by less than 40% of the nation.
Kneecap's controversial political statements have not stopped just because they were up for six awards tonight, with the band posting a picture of an Irish balaclava over Big Ben.
They posted it with a caption saying: "We’re at the BAFTAs later - hopefully we steal a few to take back to Ireland.
"Don’t forget the British government still occupy Ireland and they’re flying spy missions over Gaza as we speak to help Zionist fanatics bomb kids.
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"Free Palestine. Free the Six Counties."
Kneecap released a list of 10 rules to live by following the release of the film with number eight being: "Be outspoken, leave your mark and stand up for your people. Stand up for Palestine, and stand up for oppressed people around the world."
Topics: BBC, TV and Film, Film, BAFTAs
Michael Slavin