People have taken to social media and applauded Smith for his gentle handling of the situation.
One fan wrote: “And this is how it’s done, my friends. Matt is an absolute TREASURE of a human being.”
Another added: “Matt correcting Sue on Emma’s pronouns, oh my heart.”
A third person said: “Emma deserves better as this wasn’t the only time this happened at the premiere. I am, however, howling at how passive-aggressive Matt got real quickly.”
In a clip from the moment, Perkins said: “I was talking to Emma and she was talking about how amazing that end scene was… and she gave you all the credit.”
Without hesitation, Smith emphasized D’Arcy’s correct pronouns.
He said: “I can’t take the credit, [but] I have to say, aren’t they brilliant? They are absolutely brilliant, and you’re in for a real treat with Emma this year. I think Emma’s put in… a really great performance.”
Later, Perkins addressed the error on social media and apologized for misgendering D’Arcy.
The former Great British Bake Off host said: “It was a s****y mistake. Had loads of stuff going on in my earpiece and so wasn’t as focused as I should have been.
D’Arcy identifies as non-binary and goes by they/them, which are gender-neutral pronouns.
“It wasn’t sustainable, and I stopped pretending,” D’Arcy said. “And weirdly at that point, I got nominated for Best Actress for the Golden Globes, which is like beautifully ironic.”
