Zoe Saldaña is not happy with her Emilia Pérez co-star Karla Sofía Gascón, whose resurfaced bigoted social-media posts have overshadowed the film’s historic awards run. In a new interview, Saldaña — who is nominated for her first Academy Award for the film — expressed her disappointment with the scandal.
“I’m sad. Time and time again, that’s the word because that is the sentiment that has been living in my chest since everything happened,” Saldaña told Variety. “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.”
Gascón, the first openly trans woman to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, has been under fire for her past Islamophobic, anti-Asian, anti-Black, and COVID-skeptical statements since they were uncovered by journalist Sarah Hagi on X last week. She addressed the tweets in a statement to Variety: “I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social-media posts that have caused hurt,” Gascón said. “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.”
Gascón got more defensive in a subsequent interview with CNN En Español, where she called out “cancel culture” and said she will not be withdrawing her Best Actress nomination. “I cannot step down from an Oscar nomination because I have not committed any crime, nor have I harmed anyone,” Gascón said. “I am neither racist nor anything that all these people have tried to make others believe I am.”
Saldaña did not respond directly when asked if she’d been in contact with Gascón, but indicated she’s still processing the scandal. “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.”