The controversial Emilia Pérez actress Karla Sofía Gascón chose to skip the red carpet at the 2025 Oscars despite her nomination for Best Actress. Being the first openly transgender woman nominated in this category, Karla avoided interviews and cameras following the emergence of her offensive tweets. This incident halted her Oscars campaign, leading to rumors that Netflix might not support the presence of the Spanish actress.
Karla Sofía Gascón disappears into the background in the lead-up to the Oscars
Several weeks before the Oscars, Karla withdrew entirely from the film’s award campaign. In a February 6 Instagram post, she expressed her decision to let the work speak for itself, apologizing to those who were hurt and emphasizing her hope that the film would be appreciated for what it represents.
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Wondering how everything unfolded? Learn all about Karla Sofía Gáscon‘s controversial tweets and their impact on Emilia Pérez‘s chances at the Oscars.
Karla accused of breaking Oscar rules
Karla faced backlash in late January after criticizing the Oscar process for Best Actress and accusing social media teams associated with fellow nominee Fernanda Torres of undermining her and the Emilia Pérez crew.
Although she initially made these comments, she retracted them swiftly after realizing they could breach Academy rules. These rules prohibit nominees from spreading misleading or false information about a film or performance, or from swaying votes in any way.
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In a statement to Variety, Karla clarified that her remarks were not directed at anyone directly linked to Torres or her film, explaining that she was addressing the toxicity and hate speech she faces on social media.
Her clarification and lack of negative comments about Torres led to the end of this particular controversy – but not for long. Soon after, her offensive tweets emerged…
Karla’s offensive tweets surface
Following the incident, fans delved into Karla’s X account (previously Twitter) and uncovered more damning content. As brought to light by journalist Sarah Hagi,
Karla’s account reportedly contained offensive, racist, and islamophobic tweets.
Among the reported statements were derogatory remarks about George Floyd and insensitive comments about films featuring diverse casts, along with regular negative posts about Islam.
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Following a viral uproar, Karla deactivated her account and addressed the situation in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. In her statement, she did not offer apologies but cited the negative impact on her and her family, highlighting threats and harassment she faced.
Karla expressed that her past social media posts do not reflect her current beliefs, defending her history of supporting minorities and advocating against discrimination.
She stated: ‘I have defended every minority in this world and supported the freedom of religion and actions against racism and homophobia, just as I have criticized the underlying hypocrisy, starting with self-criticism.’
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Karla implied that there was an orchestrated campaign against her, suggesting dark motives behind the backlash and claiming that her words had been twisted to harm her.
Although she expressed regret “if I have ever offended anyone,” Karla denied accountability for the interpretations or manipulations of her words by others.
Karla did not want to withdraw from the Oscars
Despite the controversy, Karla, in an interview with CNN on February 3, asserted that she had no intention of relinquishing her Oscar nomination as she believed she had done nothing wrong.
Karla expressed frustration at not being able to defend herself adequately and refuted claims of racism. She stated, ‘I have been judged, crucified, and stoned without due process and the chance to defend myself.’
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Karla denied writing some of the surfaced tweets and particularly rejected claims about Selena Gomez, emphasizing that those statements were not hers.
Regarding the tweets she acknowledged writing, Karla argued they were taken out of context in an Instagram statement, claiming that her words had been misinterpreted.
Emilia Pérez cast and crew respond to Karla’s tweets
Zoe Saldaña, nominated for Best Supporting Actress, distanced herself from Karla amid the controversy, stating her disappointment and unwillingness to condone negative rhetoric towards any group as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Zoe chose not to defend Karla, highlighting her experiences with inclusivity, collaboration, as well as racial, cultural, and gender equality while distancing herself from the controversy.
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