BD Wong apologizes for Instagram comment invoking ‘racist trope’

Actor BD Wong apologized on Dec. 3 after posting an Instagram comment under wildlife influencer Mike Holston’s video that compared the animal in the clip to a Black man. The remark was captured in screenshots before the “Law & Order: SVU” and “Mulan” star deleted it, prompting widespread criticism. His apology addressed the comment directly and acknowledged that it violated the spirit of Holston’s “wrong answers only” prompt.

Holston, known for his wildlife content, shared an Instagram video filmed in Florida that featured a binturong and invited followers to submit humorous incorrect guesses. Wong responded, “It appears to be a Black man,” a comment viewers said reinforced a long history of comparing Black people to animals. Although the actor deleted the remark within minutes, screenshots circulated quickly on Instagram and X and led to widespread criticism.

Wong addressed the incident in a detailed statement on Threads, writing, “Y’all I made a very bad joke. As most people in hot water do, I deleted it for Damage Control but it’s out there & continues to hurt & disappoint & I’m really sorry about the hurt part.” He continued, “Super dumb, but I tried to follow the ‘Wrong Answers Only’ prompt w/ the wrongest answer. This succeeded only in that it was Super Wrong.” In a second post he wrote, “Let me please spend the energy on how wrong I know it is to exploit a despicable, racist trope in the supposed spirit of humor; I do know better, but again no excuses.”

The comment marked a brief departure from the positions he has taken publicly on responsible storytelling and the impact of racial tropes in media. Wong has spent years speaking publicly about the limited opportunities available to Asian American actors and the effects of racial typecasting in the entertainment industry. That history makes the Instagram remark notable because the language he used echoed stereotypes he has pushed back against in interviews and discussions about representation.