Following controversial tweets written by Karla Sofía Gascón resurfacing yesterday, her Emilia Pérez co-star and fellow 2025 Oscar nominee, Zoe Saldaña reacted to it. The actress made it very clear that this whole situation makes her “really sad” and she has no “tolerance for any negative rhetoric towards people of any group.”
Yesterday, Karla Sofía Gascón’s tweets about topics like the murder of George Floyd and Muslims went viral, with many calling her racist and Islamaphobic for her thoughts. During a Q&A in London (via Variety), the Avatar actress addressed her co-star’s controversial takes and the backlash that came with them, saying:
I’m still processing everything that has transpired in the last couple of days, and I’m sad. 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.
Saldaña then spoke about making the film, saying that during production on Emilia Pérez, her interactions with the cast and crew were about “inclusivity and collaboration.” Speaking about that experience and the current discourse surrounding her film that’s available to stream with a Netflix subscription, the Lioness star said:
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. It saddens me that we are having to face this setback right now.
Along with these tweets, Gascón has also faced backlash for claims she made about her fellow nominee Fernanda Torres and her team “tearing me and Emilia Pérez down.” She later apologized for those comments. On top of that, the film in general has faced a fair amount of criticism for myriad reasons.
Closing out her response, the Guardians of the Galaxy star flipped the conversation to thank fans who have continued to support Emilia Pérez amid the various controversies and criticisms it has faced. She said:
But I’m happy that you’re all here and that you’re all still showing up for Emilia because the message that this film has is so powerful and the change that it can bring forward to communities that are marginalized day in and day out is important. And all that I can attest is that all of us that came together to tell this story, we came together for love and for respect and curiosity, and we will continue to spread that message. That’s all we can say right now. Thank you.
Emilia Pérez is the most nominated movie at this year’s Oscars, Saldaña is a frontrunner in the Supporting Actress category, and she won a 2025 Golden Globe for her performance. It’s unclear how the current discourse surrounding her co-star will impact the film’s chances at various upcoming award shows, including The Academy Awards.
Notably, amid this specific issue, Gascón released a statement to Variety apologizing for her words. She said she was “deeply sorry to those I have caused pain.” She also deactivated her X account after these posts went viral and people called her out for them.
As we get closer to the Oscars, we’ll continue monitoring this situation, and we’ll be sure to keep you posted if other cast and crew members from Emilia Pérez or Netflix say anything about Karla Sofía Gascón’s actions.