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Is Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón attending the Oscars amid tweet scandal?

Oscar-nominated Spanish actor was effectively dropped from Netflix’s awards campaign after her online history emerged last month

Inga Parkel
in New York
Tuesday 25 February 2025 02:35 GMT
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Emilia Perez director shows support for Karla Sofia Gascon in Bafta acceptance speech

Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón is reportedly set to attend the 2025 Oscars despite derailing the film’s awards campaign thanks to her resurfaced racist tweets.

Last month, the 52-year-old Spanish actor became the first-ever openly trans individual to be nominated for an Academy Award in any acting category.

Within days of making history, however, Gascón found herself at the center of controversy when journalist Sarah Hagi drew attention to a series of problematic tweets made from the actor’s X account between 2020 and 2021.

While Gascón sought to apologize for her mistakes — insisting she was “not racist” in a tearful, hour-long interview with CNN en Español — Netflix erased her name and face from its “For Your Consideration” campaign adverts.

It was later reported that Netflix had ceased direct communication with the actor and rescinded all expenses for travel, accommodation, and styling. She hasn’t been seen at an awards ceremony since.

Now, citing sources, Variety reports that Gascón will indeed attend the 97th Academy Awards on Netflix’s dime. Details about her attendance, including whether she will walk the red carpet or sit with her co-stars Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez and director Jacques Audiard, have yet to be finalized.

Karla Sofía Gascón leads ‘Emilia Pérez’ as a cartel boss, who wants to retire and transition into living as a woman
Karla Sofía Gascón leads ‘Emilia Pérez’ as a cartel boss, who wants to retire and transition into living as a woman (PA)

The Independent has contacted Netflix for comment.

According to Variety, Gascón also has plans to attend the February 28 César Awards in Paris.

In the wake of the scandal, the film’s director condemned Gascón’s “hateful” and “inexcusable” tweets.

“It’s very hard for me to think back to the work I did with Karla Sofía. The trust we shared, the exceptional atmosphere that we had on the set that was indeed based on trust,” Audiard told Deadline. “When you have that kind of relationship and suddenly you read something that that person has said, things that are absolutely hateful and worthy of being hated, of course that relationship is affected. It’s as if you fall into a hole. Because what Karla Sofía said is inexcusable.”

He added: “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.

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“Why is she harming herself? Why? I don’t understand it, and what I don’t understand about this too is why she’s harming people who were very close to her.”

Emilia Pérez — which follows a notorious cartel boss (Gascón) who wants to retire and transition into living as a woman — has earned 13 nods at the 2025 Oscars, including for Best Picture.

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