Tom Hiddleston was one of the big winners of the 2017 Golden Globes on Sunday night – he won Best Actor in a Mini-Series or TV Motion Picture for his role in The Night Manager.
He used his speech to thank numerous people, but he also told a story about his humanitarian work in South Sudan.
.@twhiddleston wins Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made For Television! Congr… https://t.co/UhXpIImwEE
He told the audience:
"I recently went to South Sudan, which is the youngest country in the world, in East Africa. With the United Nations Children’s Fund. I do a little bit of work with them to spread the word as fast as I can. It’s a terrible situation for children there. The Night Manager is about arms dealing, and there are far too many arms coming into South Sudan."
He then went on to describe how he encountered some local medics who "wanted to say hello" to the actor because during the shelling the previous month they had apparently binge-watched The Night Manager.
Hiddleston revealed: "The idea that I could, or that we could, provide some relief and entertainment for people who work for Unicef and Médecins Sans Frontières and the World Food Programme, who are fixing the world in the places where it was broken, made me immensely proud."
However, as well-intentioned as the speech was, Twitter went in on him over it.
Some weren't impressed he appeared to be bragging.
Could Viola end this speech by turning to Tom Hiddleston and just, like, staring him down
Me @ tom hiddleston's speech
And others thought he used his humanitarian work to promote his show.
TOM HIDDLESTON: Listen to my speech about Sudan AUDIENCE: Okay HIDDLESTON: …and how it proves my TV show was good. AUDIENCE: Oh no.
Remember Ben Stiller's monologue in Extras about how important Meet the Parents is to the war-torn kids? That was Tom Hiddleston's speech.
you: tom hiddleston's 2017 golden globes speech me, an intellectual: meryl streep's 2017 golden globes speech
There were of course the odd Taylor Swift references.
Tom hiddleston's speech was the embodiment of white people self-centerism. I'm surprised he and taylor swift didnt work out
Especially when it came to the length of his speech.
Tom Hiddleston's speech sure isn't........................................................Swift
Tom Hiddleston's speech is lasting longer than his relationship with Taylor Swift #GoldenGlobes
There were a lot of tweets about white saviour complex.
the white saviour complex is too real with hiddleston. i still think he's cute tho...but also ew
Tom Hiddleston, the white saviour no one asked for
This is me rn reading ppl saying Tom has a white savior complex after his GG speech. To quote Linden: GET OUT!!! 😡😡… https://t.co/YmSFkSswJF
I see T-Hiddle's white saviour complex is still alive and well. 🙊
But mainly people brought up the audience's reactions throughout.
#GoldenGlobes director cutting to the #StrangerThings kids during Tom Hiddleston's speech about Sudan was A CHOICE
Naomi Harris expression listening to Tom Hiddleston 'white savior of Sudan' speech is priceless #GoldenGlobes… https://t.co/yaGhaVIubQ
The lack of interest in Tom Hiddleston's story about his show is my everything
Especially Christian Slater's reaction.
Christian Slater's face listening to Tom Hiddleston's "people in South Sudan love me" speech should be on US curren… https://t.co/bfx1lGyttN
Christian Slater's reaction to Tom Hiddleston's speech LMAO
Christian Slater during Tom Hiddleston's speech bragging about Doctors Without Borders binge-watching his show is a… https://t.co/c1A0D3ZhKl
When you're still thinking about Tom Hiddleston's #GoldenGlobes speech
But many also pointed out that Hiddleston had good intentions and praised him for all the work he has done to help bring awareness to the South Sudan crisis.
[tom hiddleston brings awareness to the south sudan crisis in his golden globe acceptance speech] Twitter: *bashes him* makes sense
watching @goldenglobes in my wooly socks- Tom Hiddleston's speech was so graceful, what a way to use that platform for something good 👏🏻
Congrats to @twhiddleston on his win and wonderful acceptance speech!! A true humanitarian!! #TomHiddleston… https://t.co/vUl7qGFnhC
Tom Hiddleston has given the best acceptance speech of the night so far
Lovely speech re #SouthSudan by #TomHiddleston - @WorldVision @WorldVisionUSA is right there too!
UPDATE
On Monday, Hiddleston posted an apology on Facebook:
Here is the full text: "I just wanted to say… I completely agree that my speech at the Golden Globes last night was inelegantly expressed. In truth, I was very nervous, and my words just came out wrong. 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. I apologise that my nerves got the better of me."