Tilda Swinton Slapped Friend Who Called Her English, Not Scottish

Tilda Swinton has confessed to “slapping” a friend and colleague after he mistakenly referred to her as “English.”

The Hollywood star was in the middle of filming the 1992 film Orlando when this incident happened.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, the interviewer reminded Swinton of the story, mentioning that an American friend had erroneously called her English instead of British or Scottish. Swinton responded by slapping him.

Swinton replied, “Well, I’ll slap myself on the back for that now,” adding, “I mean, he should know better.

“And you know these Americans: you’ve got to teach them. Quite right!”

Despite speaking with an English accent, Swinton was born in London and attended various English schools. However, she describes her nationality as Scottish.

Tilda Swinton is the daughter of Scottish aristocrat Sir John Swinton of Kimmerghame and the granddaughter of Scottish politician George Swinton. The Oscar-winning actress spent much of her childhood in Scotland and has been living in the Highlands since 1997.

Swinton’s “Scottishness” has been questioned before. In 2018, Trainspotting star Kelly Macdonald accused Swinton of being too “posh” to be truly Scottish and labeled her as “really English.”

Macdonald said on US television, “I have a problem with people that are Scottish but don’t sound it. I get very, very confused. She’s posh Scottish. Posh Scottish people are really English. I am not posh.”

Swinton defended her Scottish identity, telling the BBC that she never considered herself British or English and expressed her support for Scottish independence.

“I have lived in Scotland full-time for the last 20 years, I was brought up in Scotland through my childhood, I am from a family that has lived in Scotland for centuries.

“I have never felt English, and I have never felt British, politically.

“I am happy to describe myself as Scottish and I feel, like many people, that Scotland is a naturally independent country.”

Source: The Guardian