The 2025 Oscar race was already gearing up to be a fierce and competitive battle, but a new storm is brewing that could shake things up for one of the season's most buzzed-about films, Emilia Perez.
The Spanish-language musical, which follows a Mexican drug lord who undergoes a gender transformation, garnered 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and a Best Actress nod for its star, Karla Sofia Gascon.
A still from Emilia Perez.
But the whirlwind of praise that Emilia Perez received quickly collided with the controversy surrounding Karla's past tweets. What was once a hopeful campaign for the film now stands at a precarious crossroads, with questions looming over whether Karla Sofia Gascon's actions will drag the film's potential wins down with her.
The Tweets That Shook the Internet
It all started on January 30, 2025, when a series of Karla Sofia Gascon's tweets from 2020-2023 resurfaced. These tweets, largely shared during a volatile period in both global politics and social movements, provoked backlash for their "offensive and controversial nature".
The actress' posts criticised a variety of subjects, including Islam, the Black Lives Matter movement, George Floyd, Emilia Perez's co-star Selena Gomez's relationship with her ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber and the increasing diversity at the Oscars.
A still from Emilia Perez.
One of the most contentious tweets showed Karla Sofia Gascon making disparaging remarks about Muslims in Spain, questioning the increase in Muslim women wearing headscarves and implying a shift towards Arabic as the official language in schools.
Her post read, "Sorry, is it just me or are there more Muslims in Spain? Every time I pick up my daughter from school there are more women with their hair covered and their skirts down to their heels. Next year instead of English, we'll have to teach Arabic."
In another tweet, she suggested that Islam went against European values and human rights. This rhetoric quickly angered many, especially in light of the continued global conversations on religious tolerance and coexistence.
"Until we ban religions that go against European values and violate human rights, such as Islam, under the protection of freedom of worship, we will not end part of the huge problem we face," she wrote in a now-deleted tweet on X (formerly Twitter).
A still from Emilia Perez.
But that was just the tip of the iceberg. In an even more disturbing tweet, posted shortly after George Floyd's murder in 2020, Karla referred to Floyd as a "drug addict swindler" and said that his death was being used to promote a false narrative about police brutality.
The tweet read, "Very few people ever cared about George Floyd, a drug addict swindler, but his death has served to once again demonstrate that there are people who still consider black people to be monkeys Without rights and consider policemen to be assassins, they're all wrong."
In another tweet following the 2021 Academy Awards, she voiced her dissatisfaction with the diversity at the ceremony and called it "an ugly, ugly gala." She wrote on X, "Oscars are looking like a ceremony for independent and protest films, I didn't know if I was watching an Afro-Korean festival, a Black Lives Matter demonstration or the 8M."
Not only this, but her old tweet where she made disparaging remarks about her Emilia Perez co-star Selena Gomez has resurfaced on social media. In a tweet from 2022, which has now been deleted, Karla referred to Selena as a "rich rat" while discussing her rumoured feud with Hailey Bieber, as reported by The Latin Times.
Karla pictured with Selena.
The tweet, which was shared in response to a post from the Mexican outlet Reforma, featured a photo of Selena and Hailey at the Annual Academy Museum Gala in October 2022, where the two seemed to put rumours of a feud to rest.
It read, "She's a rich rat who plays the poor b** whenever she can and will never stop bothering her ex-boyfriend and his wife," referring to Selena's ex, Justin Bieber and his wife, Hailey."
These posts sparked massive outrage, especially from marginalised communities and advocates of racial and social justice. After the Internet users called the actress out for her "racist" remarks, she deactivated her X (formerly Twitter) account.
A Too Little, Too Late Apology - Was It Enough?
In the days following the tweet scandal, Karla Sofia Gascon issued a public apology, which was widely criticised as "insufficient". She stated that she was "deeply sorry" and mentioned that she was "not a racist".
She claimed that many of the comments had been taken "out of context" while others were "manipulations".
In an Instagram post, Karla tried to explain that she had been on a "rollercoaster of emotions" and expressed confusion over how she could go from being a "message of hope" for nine months to suddenly being labelled as "the worst person in the world."
On January 31, the actress issued an apology for her past racist and xenophobic posts. She addressed the issue in a statement to People, saying, "I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt. As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain. All my life I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness."
She also gave an additional statement to The Hollywood Reporter and expressed regret over her actions. "I apologise again if anyone has ever felt offended or in the future. I am a human being who also made, makes and will make mistakes from which I will learn. I am not perfect," she said, adding that there had been a "campaign of hate and misinformation" surrounding the situation.
Netflix Distances Itself From Controversy
As the controversy surrounding Karla Sofia Gascon spiralled, Netflix, the streaming giant behind Emilia Perez, began distancing itself from the actress.
In what many perceived as a bid to minimise the damage to the film's Oscar campaign, Netflix swiftly removed Karla Sofia Gascon from the promotional material. The film's latest For Your Consideration (FYC) posters, once dominated by Karla Sofia Gascon's image as a Best Actress nominee, now focused entirely on her co-stars, Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez.
This shift in the campaign strategy appeared to signal that Netflix had made a conscious decision to minimise Karla Sofia Gascon's presence, possibly to avoid drawing further attention to the controversy that was beginning to overshadow the film.
A section of X users also speculated that this move was an attempt to prevent Karla's divisive remarks from overshadowing the film's chance at a Best Picture win and other potential awards.
In an additional blow, Karla found herself cut from a number of important upcoming events in the lead-up to the Oscars, including the AFI Awards luncheon, Critics' Choice Awards and others.
The actress was also informed that Netflix would no longer be covering her travel expenses for these events or arranging her styling for red-carpet appearances, according to a report in the New York Times.
What Did Emilia Perez's Team Say?
Karla Sofia Gascon's co-stars, particularly Zoe Saldana, who was a favourite to win Best Supporting Actress for her role in Emilia Perez, also weighed in on the controversy.
She expressed her sadness over the situation, stating that she did not support Karla's comments and would "never tolerate" any negative rhetoric aimed at any group of people. She also mentioned that her experience working on Emilia Perez was one of "inclusivity, collaboration and mutual respect".
The team of Emilia Perez.
During an event in London last week, she shared her reaction, describing the situation as "really sad." When asked about the issue, she explained that she was still processing everything that had unfolded in recent days. "I'm still processing everything that has transpired in the last couple of days, and I'm sad," Zoe said.
The event, where the actress made her remarks, was originally set to feature Karla, who ultimately did not attend.
Saldana continued, "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."
A still from Emilia Perez.
The actress also took a moment to reflect on her personal experience working on the film. "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," she explained. "My experience and my interactions with them was about inclusivity and collaboration and racial, cultural and gender equity. And it just saddens me," she added.
On the other hand, Emilia Perez director Jacques Audiard did not mince words when reflecting on the situation. He described how the trust he once shared with Karla Sofia Gascon had been deeply affected by the hate-filled comments she made.
Emilia Perez director Jacques Audiard with Karla.
In an exclusive interview with Deadline, he said, "It's very hard for me to think back to the work I did with Karla Sofía. The trust we shared and the exceptional atmosphere that we had on the set that was indeed based on trust. And 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 expressed confusion over why Karla Sofia Gascon seemed to continue down a self-destructive path and voiced his sorrow over how the controversy was eclipsing the film's achievements.
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. 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. I'm thinking in this thing of how hurting others, of how she's hurting the crew and all these people who worked so incredibly hard on this film. I'm thinking of myself, I'm thinking of Zoe [Saldana] and Selena [Gomez]. I just don't understand why she's continuing to harm us."
Is Karla Sofia Gascon's Oscar Win In Jeopardy?
As for Karla Sofia Gascon's Oscar prospects, her path to the Best Actress trophy seems all but closed. She was once seen as a strong contender for the coveted award, thanks to her standout performance in Emilia Perez.
However, with the backlash mounting and Netflix shifting its focus away from her, it's hard to see how she could still have a chance. Many critics and pundits now believe that her role in the film has been overshadowed by the scandal and while she has stated that she will not step down from her Oscar nomination, it seems increasingly unlikely that voters will rally behind her.
A still from Emilia Perez.
Karla Sofia Gascon's actions may also have a broader impact on the film's overall chances at the Oscars.
Emilia Perez had been considered a frontrunner for several categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress (for Saldana) and Best Original Song.
However, as Karla Sofia Gascon's controversy continues to make headlines, it remains to be seen how it will affect voter sentiment. The film's prospects in categories like Best Original Score, Best Makeup & Hairstyling, and Best Cinematography could also be at risk, as voters may now be reluctant to reward a film tied to such a divisive figure.
Can Emilia Perez Still Win Big?
Despite the mounting controversy, Emilia Perez remains a critically acclaimed film and its 13 Oscar nominations speak volumes about its quality. Yet, with Karla Sofia Gascon's personal issues dominating the discourse, the question remains: Can the film still win big? With Netflix actively trying to reframe the narrative by focusing on its other nominees, the film's ability to secure major wins may depend on how well it can navigate this scandal in the coming weeks.
The team of Emilia Perez.
Will Emilia Perez be able to claim Best Picture or Best Director, or will Karla Sofia Gascon's actions cause the film to lose steam at the Academy Awards? In an awards season already rife with controversy, Emilia Perez's journey to the Oscars is now a delicate balancing act between art, scandal and redemption.
As for Karla Sofia Gascon, her time in the spotlight may have reached its peak. While she remains nominated, it's clear that the path ahead is fraught with challenges - both personal and professional. Will the film rise above the controversy or will the shadow of the actress's tweets leave it struggling to make a mark on Hollywood's biggest night? Only time will tell.
