The Karla Sofía Gascón Controversy and Its Impact on “Emilia Pérez”

The controversy surrounding “Emilia Pérez” and Karla Sofía Gascón has escalated rapidly, turning what was initially a moment of triumph into a significant crisis. Gascón, who made history by becoming the first transgender actor nominated for Best Actress, was at the center of widespread acclaim for her role in the film. With “Emilia Pérez” receiving a record-breaking 13 nominations, including Best Film, Best International Feature, and Best Director, it seemed like the film and its lead actor were heading for major success. However, things took a dramatic turn when old tweets from Gascón resurfaced, leading to serious backlash.

These tweets, which spread like wildfire online, were full of racist and Islamophobic comments targeting Muslims, Black Lives Matter, and other marginalized communities. There were also offensive takes on singer Adele’s looks and dismissive remarks about social justice movements. As these messages started trending, public backlash grew, prompting louder calls for accountability.

In response to the backlash, Gascón released a statement acknowledging the controversy and apologizing for her past social media posts.

“I want to address the conversation surrounding my previous social media posts that have caused pain. As someone who is part of a marginalized community, I understand this suffering all too well and am deeply sorry for those I’ve hurt,” she said. She further explained, “I’ve always used my social media as a personal diary, a space for reflections or notes, to later develop stories or characters, not as something to be dissected down to every 140 characters, as sometimes I’m not even aware when I’ve written something negative.”

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Una publicación compartida por Karla Sofía Gascón (@karsiagascon)

Even though she made a statement, the consequences hit fast. Netflix, which had been actively promoting “Emilia Pérez,” started to distance itself from Gascón to safeguard the film’s chances at the Oscars. She was subtly removed from promotional materials meant for the English-speaking market, and her participation in awards season activities was significantly scaled down. This resulted in Gascón being excluded from major industry events like the Goya Awards, Critics Choice Awards, Producers Guild Awards, and the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Additionally, a Spanish publishing house, Dos Bigotes, which had been in talks to reissue a novel by Gascón, decided to cancel the project. The publisher mentioned that their commitment to inclusion and diversity clashed with the offensive nature of her resurfaced posts and concluded that moving forward with the book’s release wouldn’t reflect their values.

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Una publicación compartida por Karla Sofía Gascón (@karsiagascon)

Jacques Audiard, the director of “Emilia Pérez,” commented on the controversy, stating that the content of the tweets was unacceptable and deeply troubling. Meanwhile, actress Zoe Saldaña, who co-starred in the film, expressed sadness over the situation, saying, “It makes me really sad because I don’t support [it], and I don’t have any tolerance for any negative rhetoric towards people of any group.” She continued, “I can only attest to the experience that I had with each and every individual that was a part, that is a part, of this film, and my experience and my interactions with them was about inclusivity and collaboration and racial, cultural, and gender equity. And it just saddens me.”

In response to the growing backlash, Gascón finally decided to shut down her social media accounts. She explained that she had been subjected to death threats, harassment, and severe distress because of the controversy. In her last statement before going offline, she emphasized her belief that she was being unfairly targeted and insisted she wouldn’t let the attacks break her spirit. Despite her defiant stance, the impact of the situation on her career remains unclear.