Zoe Saldaña has once again addressed the controversy surrounding her Emilia Pérez co-star, Karla Sofía Gascón, who has faced significant backlash over offensive and Islamophobic social media posts.
The resurfacing of these posts last week ignited widespread criticism, leading Gascón to delete her X account and issue public apologies. However, the fallout has been severe. The film’s director, Jacques Audiard, stated on Wednesday that he has not spoken to her and has no intention of doing so. Additionally, Netflix, the studio behind the film, has distanced itself by removing Gascón from promotional materials, withdrawing financial support for her attendance at events, and ceasing direct communication with her.
Despite the controversy, Saldaña remains a leading contender for the Best Supporting Actress award. She has sought to separate herself from the situation without completely advocating for Gascón’s exclusion.
Speaking on Variety’s awards-focused podcast, Saldaña expressed her emotions regarding the controversy, saying, “Sad. Time and time again, that’s the word because that is the sentiment that has been living in my chest since everything happened. I’m also disappointed. I can’t speak for other people’s actions. All I can attest to is my experience, and never in a million years did I ever believe that we would be here.”
Emilia Pérez, a cartel musical directed by Audiard, made history last month by securing 13 Oscar nominations—more than any other film this year and the most ever for a foreign-language film. However, the scandal surrounding Gascón has thrown the film’s cast, crew, and PR teams into turmoil as they attempt to navigate the situation.
During an interview with CNN Español over the weekend, Gascón claimed that Saldaña and co-star Selena Gomez “support me 200%.” When asked about this by Variety, Saldaña did not directly address the statement. Instead, she reportedly took a long pause before reaffirming her stance against bigotry and discrimination.
“I do not support any negative rhetoric of racism and bigotry towards any group of people,” she emphasized. “That is what I want to stand for.”
Saldaña expressed her hope that the film’s message of inclusivity and diverse storytelling would outlive the current controversy. She also reflected on the positive experiences she had while working on the project.
“I’m allowing myself to still experience that joy because we did come together as a team,” she said. “But we are also individuals who are responsible for everything that we say and everything that we do.”
She added that her interactions with Gascón on set were vastly different from the persona revealed through the resurfaced social media posts. “I can’t attest to what people do in their private time with their private handles,” she concluded.