Write an article
Start discussion
Create a list
Upload a video
With less than a week until the Oscars, the situation has become even more intriguing as nominated actress Karla Sofía Gascón, who was previously embroiled in a controversial Twitter scandal, has confirmed her attendance for the ceremony on March 2.
Netflix, the studio behind Emilia Pérez, will cover her expenses for the Oscars. The film has earned itself 13 nominations, including Best Actress for Gascón, making her the first openly transgender actress to receive an Oscar nomination.
However, it remains uncertain whether Gascón will appear on the Oscar red carpet, give interviews, or sit alongside her co-stars Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez, and director Jacques Audiard. Both Saldana and Gomez have previously expressed their disappointment over Gascón's controversial comments, and Audiard has even called her tweets "inexcusable."
To be frank, given the outcomes of the Golden Globes, BAFTA, and SAG Awards, Gascón's chances of winning the Oscar seem slim. Additionally, the controversy surrounding her comments has had a direct impact on Emilia Pérez's chances of winning Best Picture.
Some argue that its 13 nominations are largely due to the Academy's and the film industry's push for greater diversity. The film won the Jury Prize at the 77th Cannes Film Festival last year, and Cannes made an unprecedented decision to award the Best Actress prize to Gascón and her three co-stars. However, after her anti-diversity comments came to light, Emilia Pérez found itself in an awkward position. Some Oscar voters have said they'll no longer consider her or the film.
Reports also suggest that Netflix will no longer cover Gascón's travel or styling expenses for other awards events and has tried to downplay her role in the film's publicity. In addition to apologizing for her remarks, she's indicated that she'll remain silent during the Oscars promotional period, in the hope that her "silence will allow the film to be appreciated for what it is[.]" Netflix's attempt to distance itself from Gascón is clear.
Despite this, Gascón's confirmed attendance at the Oscars has once again made headlines. While the Academy has yet to respond, it's clear that Netflix hasn't completely abandoned her. After all, whether Netflix and Gascón's colleagues want to acknowledge it or not, Gascón's portrayal of Emilia Pérez have been crucial to the film's success this awards season. Both Gascón and her character are inseparable from the film.
The story of Emilia Pérez is set in Mexico. Gascón plays the titular character who's both the protagonist and the main driving force of the story. The plot follows lawyer Rita (played by Saldana), who's exploited by her job until drug lord Manitas offers her a way out. Manitas wants Rita to help him leave his old trade and fulfill a long-held dream: to transition into a woman. He eventually succeeds and becomes Emilia. However, Emilia now faces the complexities of living with her new identity while managing her relationships with her wife and children.
Emilia Pérez is a blend of musical and melodramatic elements and evolves into a bold, dramatic narrative. Gascón's performance, along with the rest of the female cast, brings authenticity and depth to the characters, creating a powerful connection between this surrealistic story and the real world. As both an actor and a transgender person, Gascón played an indispensable role in establishing this connection.
Gascón was previously a male actor in Mexican telenovelas before transitioning in 2018 with the support of her wife and daughter. Prior to filming Emilia Pérez, Audiard engaged in extensive conversations with her about the character of Emilia and her experience of transitioning. "Karla's talent comes from her very life, from the singularity of her experience," Audiard explained. "What's it like to live in a body you don't want?"
Initially, Audiard planned to cast different actors for Manitas and Emilia, but Gascón convinced him to cast her in both roles. "It's a bit as if Beauty and the Beast were locked in the same body," she described the dual role. Audiard even rewrote key scenes based on Gascón's input, including one that originally featured physical violence but was reworked to focus on an emotional outburst—to better align with Emilia's quest for a positive, optimistic life.
These contributions underscore Gascón's influence on Emilia Pérez and highlight the significance of having a transgender person portray this character. Transgender individuals are no longer just represented in fiction; they're asserting their right to express themselves and have their authentic voices heard.
However, the controversy surrounding Gascón casts a stark contrast to the saintly portrayal of Emilia in the film, creating a deeply ironic situation. The gap between society's perception of Gascón and the character she plays only amplifies this irony. In the film, Emilia's supporters are unaware of her past as a ruthless drug lord. In real life, those who reject Gascón's comments may have had a very different image of her. Just as one Academy member put it: "Damn, I almost felt sorry for her at first, but now I'm like, 'F*ck that.'"
This disparity between the fictionalized and real-life Gascón may be one of the reasons her controversial statements became such a scandal. How many others, like this Academy member, were surprised that a "marginalized" person could also express such racist views?
I'm not here to defend Gascón's controversial remarks, but I do see a certain hypocrisy and hostility emerging from the mainstream discourse. Initially, Gascón was championed as a progressive figure, but now she's being avoided, with little room for nuance or complexity. For marginalized groups, including the transgender community, mainstream tolerance often comes with a catch: they can be progressive symbols, but only if they belong to a vulnerable group that's flawless and non-threatening. If any flaw is discovered, it becomes unacceptable.
This limited tolerance for imperfection and complexity in the mainstream media contrasts sharply with the treatment given to figures like Roman Polanski or Woody Allen, who're often separated from their personal scandals when discussing their works. Remember, Polanski won the Best Director award at the César Awards five years ago. On the contrary, it seems highly unlikely that Gascón will receive Best Actress at the César Awards this year.
Pessimistically, Gascón's situation reflects a troubling reality: when marginalized groups become mere window-dressing in opinion-shaping mainstream narratives, their achievements lose their power and become illusory. As a viewer, I don't think it's easy to untangle right from wrong in this complex series of events, and perhaps, these contradictions should remain unresolved for now. The truth is, while some progress has been made, fundamental, revolutionary change is still a long way off.
Gascón herself addressed the controversy on Instagram, asking, "How can I move forward?" I don't think the Hollywood experts, or the journalists who've followed her career, have an answer to that question. Ultimately, the only ones who can answer it are Gascón and others like her. In a world where the mainstream narrative exerts far-reaching dominance, the question of how to move forward can only truly be answered by those outside this circle of control.
References:
- The Incredible True Story of Emilia Pérez Actor Karla Sofia Gascón: https://www.vogue.com/article/emilia-perez-actor-karla-sofia-gascon
- Netflix Distances Itself From Karla Sofía Gascón as Controversy Forces 'Emilia Pérez' Oscar Campaign Changes: https://variety.com/2025/film/news/netflix-emilia-perez-oscar-campaign-karla-sofia-gascon-scandal-1236296776/
This is my third and final article in the Oscar series leading up to the 97th Academy Awards ceremony. You can click the links below to read my previous two pieces. After the ceremony, I'll continue sharing my thoughts on the Oscars, and analyzing both the results and the events of the night—so stay tuned if you're interested.
Share your thoughts!
Be the first to start the conversation.