Karla Sofía Gascón Under Fire: Celebrities and Co-Stars Speak Out Over Controversial Tweets

The path to Oscar success is rarely without obstacles, and for Karla Sofía Gascón, controversy has become part of the journey. As the first openly transgender performer nominated for Best Actress, she now faces renewed scrutiny after past tweets resurfaced.

The posts, which include derogatory comments about Muslim culture, George Floyd, and diversity, have ignited strong debates within the film industry.

Gascón's tweets, which were discovered by journalist Sarah Hagi, expressed her controversial religious views, especially on the Muslim community. 'I'm Sorry. Is it just my impression, or are there more Muslims in Spain? Every time I go to pick up my daughter from school, there are more women with their hair covered and their skirts down to their heels. Next year, instead of English, we'll have to teach Arabic,' her post dated 22 November 2022 read.

One of her old tweets makes stark remarks about George Floyd. 'I really think that very few people ever cared about George Floyd, a drug addict swindler, but his death has served to once again demonstrate that there are people who still consider black people to be monkeys Without rights and consider policemen to be assassins,' she posted. 'They're all wrong.'

Gascón, who stars in Emilia Pérez—a film up for 13 Academy Awards, including Best Picture—has found herself at the centre of the awards season conversation. Her comments have prompted responses from co-stars, director Jacques Audiard, and even celebrities outside the Emilia Pérez circle.

Jacques Audiard Condemns Gascón's Tweets

In an interview with Deadline on 5 February, French director Jacques Audiard, 72, expressed his disappointment over Gascón's resurfaced social media posts, which have been widely condemned for promoting hateful views about racism, diversity and more.

Audiard, who worked closely with Gascón on the film, did not shy away from criticism when he described the posts as 'inexcusable.' Speaking on the atmosphere during the Emilia Pérez shoot, he said, 'It's very hard for me to think back to the work I did with Karla Sofía,' reflecting on the deep sense of trust that had defined the set.

However, after reading the offensive posts, the director revealed how that trust was shattered. He described the impact as 'falling into a hole,' acknowledging the pain it caused personally and within the Emilia Pérez team.

When asked if he had spoken to Gascón since, the director said,' I haven't spoken to her, and I don't want to. She is in a self-destructive approach that I can't interfere in, and I really don't understand why she's continuing.'

Zoe Saldaña Speaks Out

Zoe Saldaña, Gascón's Emilia Pérez co-star, also addressed the controversy during a Q&A in London.

Saldaña expressed her disappointment at Gascón's actions with palpable sadness, particularly condemning the 'negative rhetoric towards people of any group.' She stressed that her experience with the Emilia Pérez team had been one of 'inclusivity and collaboration,' focusing on racial, cultural, and gender equity.

'It saddens me that we are having to face this setback right now,' Saldaña added.

Meanwhile, Gascón's other co-star, Selena Gomez, has yet to comment on the controversy. However, it should be noted that Gomez herself was allegedly mentioned in one of Gascón's resurfaced tweets.

'She's a rich rat who plays the poor b------ whenever she can and will never stop bothering her ex-boyfriend and his wife,' the post in question said. Although, in a recent interview, Gascón said, 'I have never said anything about my colleague. I would never refer to her that way.'

Gascón Apologises, Denies Being 'Racist'

Gascón, 52, responded quickly to the intensifying backlash. On 31 January, she apologised and deactivated her X (formerly Twitter) account.

In an Instagram post on 2 February, Gascón maintained her innocence and claimed she had 'nothing to hide'. She also appeared on CNN, where she defended herself against accusations of racism and Islamophobia, saying, 'I cannot step down from an Oscar nomination because I have not committed any crime, nor have I harmed anyone. I am neither racist nor anything that all these people have tried to make others believe I am.'

Bowen Yang Calls Gascón A 'Troll'

Even though Gascón claims she is innocent, the Emilia Pérez Oscar campaign has taken a major hit and become a widespread celebrity discussion. SNL star and actor Bowen Yang shared his thoughts on the growing controversy during his podcast.

Bowen, who also co-hosted the Academy Awards Nomination announcement event along with actress Rachel Sennott, referred to the Gascón as a 'troll.'

'Anyone can be a troll, and any troll can be an Oscar nominee,' he said. 'If there's a pill that can turn off that part of your brain, that thing that makes you want to tweet something insane, let's invent it.'

Referring to her CNN interview, Bowen said, 'Karla Sofia Gascón, why did you... no one on the movie or Netflix told her to do this interview.' Expressing frustration at how one person's words can so quickly derail a film's campaign, he added, 'It's just a shame if one person can really f**k up a whole movie's campaign.'

The Damage to the Emilia Pérez Campaign

As a strategy to contain the fallout, Netflix has reportedly removed Gascón from promotional emails and will edit film posters to highlight Zoe Saldaña instead.

Reports also indicate that Gascón will not attend any pre-Oscar events, as Netflix has refused to cover her travel or styling expenses.

As the campaign adjusts to this ongoing controversy, it remains to be seen how these changes will impact Emilia Pérez's Oscar chances and Gascón's future in the industry.