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Karla Sofía Gascón has been in the spotlight recently for her role in Emilia Pérez. What started as positive headlines before its global release turned into discourse about its impact on the trans community and representation of Mexican culture. While it could be written off as artistic expression, things took a dark turn this week when her Islamophobic, racist, and offensive tweets were unearthed. Now, the Oscar-nominated actress has issued a public apology and deactivated her X account.
Gascón apologizes for past X posts
Gascón began her statement by sharing some of the things she was experiencing due to the fallout, and her decision to close the account. “I can’t allow this campaign of hate and misinformation to affect my family and me any longer, so at their request, I’m closing my X account," she wrote. “I’ve been insulted, harassed, and even threatened with death. I have a wonderful daughter to protect, and I love her dearly.”
Reflecting on her past remarks, she acknowledged: “I’ve expressed opinions—sometimes wrongly—that have changed with experience. I apologize if I’ve ever offended anyone.”
Her explanation
Gascón insisted that her posts were never meant to spread hate: “I’ve always supported minorities and stood against racism, religious discrimination, and homophobia.” She continued to apologize, “Maybe my words weren’t right—whether from ignorance or error. I apologize again.”
The actress also claimed her posts were taken out of context: “I am only responsible for what I say, not how others twist or interpret my words.”
Old X posts resurface
The controversy reignited on January 30 when podcaster Sara Hagi compiled Gascón’s past X posts, which quickly went viral. The resurfaced posts, dating back to 2016-2021, included at least a dozen Islamophobic tweets, per the Washington Post. In one, she questioned the growing number of Muslims in Spain, while another mocked the treatment of women in Islam.
She also had offensive things to say about the murder of George Floyd. “As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain,” Gascón said in a statement shared to media outlets by Netflix, the streaming platform for her movie. “All my life I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness.”
A historic Oscar nomination amid controversy
Despite the backlash, Gascón recently made history as the first openly trans actress nominated for an Academy Award. She stars in Emilia Pérez alongside Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez. The film, directed by Jacques Audiard, has received 13 Oscar nominations.
However, Audiard has also faced criticism and apologized earlier this month for offending people. he's also catching heat for his past remarks about the Spanish language, calling it “a language of emerging countries, modest people, and migrants.” Though his comments were made in August, they have resurfaced amid the film’s growing attention.
How her costars are reacting
Saldaña was the first to address the situation at a Q&A in London on Friday, “I’m still processing everything that has transpired in the last couple of days, and I’m sad,” she said, per The Hollywood Reporter.
“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. 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 were about inclusivity and collaboration and racial, cultural, and gender equity. And it just saddens me," the Center Stage star continued.