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Karla Sofía Gascón, the Emilia Pérez star and the first openly transgender actress to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actress, is under fire for resurfaced tweets from 2020 and 2021. The tweets, which have been widely condemned as Islamophobic, racist, and offensive, were recently uncovered by journalist Sarah Hagi. Many of the posts have since been deleted, and Gascón has issued an apology.

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Contents of the Controversial Tweets

1. Islamophobic Remarks
   • In a November 22, 2020 tweet, Gascón expressed concern over what she perceived as a growing Muslim population in Spain, stating that she saw more women wearing hijabs and long skirts when picking up her daughter from school. She sarcastically remarked that Arabic might need to be taught in schools instead of English¹.
   • In a September 2, 2020 tweet, she posted a photo of a Muslim family at a restaurant and mockingly wrote about Islam’s treatment of women, calling it “DEEPLY DISGUSTING OF HUMANITY”¹.
   • In a January 29, 2021 tweet, she claimed that “Islam fails to comply with international rights” and argued that religions should be banned if they do not adhere to human rights¹.
   • A August 16, 2021 post showed her criticizing Christianity and Catholicism along with Islam, calling them “beliefs of morons that violate human rights”¹.
2. Comments on George Floyd and Race
   • Shortly after George Floyd’s murder in May 2020, Gascón tweeted that she believed “very few people ever cared about George Floyd, a drug addict swindler.” She also claimed that his death was being used to paint Black people as victims and police officers as murderers¹.
   • In a follow-up tweet, she suggested that racism might not be the issue, but rather social class conflict¹.
3. Criticism of Oscars’ Diversity Efforts
   • Following the 2021 Academy Awards, Gascón criticized the ceremony, saying it felt like an “Afro-Korean festival,” a “Black Lives Matter demonstration,” or an event celebrating International Women’s Day. She concluded that the gala was “ugly, ugly”¹.
4. COVID-19 and Anti-Chinese Remarks
   • In an August 2020 tweet, she mocked China and the COVID-19 vaccine, writing that the “Chinese vaccine” came with a “mandatory chip,” “two spring rolls,” “a cat that moves its hand,” and a “pop-up lantern”¹.
   • In a February 2020 post, she sarcastically asked why, despite having so many scientists, no one could “get in line with this Chinese shit,” referring to the coronavirus outbreak¹.

Public Response and Apology

After the tweets resurfaced in January 2025, Gascón faced major backlash, leading her to deactivate her Twitter account. She released a statement expressing regret:

“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.”²

However, the controversy continued, with many questioning whether her apology was genuine or an attempt to contain the damage ahead of the Oscars.

Impact on Career and Reactions from the Film Industry

• Netflix and the Academy have declined to comment on the controversy¹.
• Gascón’s Emilia Pérez co-star Zoe Saldaña responded, saying she was “really sad” about the situation and emphasized the film’s message of inclusivity and respect³.
• Some industry insiders speculate that the controversy might hurt her chances at the Oscars, though it remains uncertain how voters will respond³.

Despite Gascón’s apology, the resurfaced tweets have ignited broader discussions about accountability, past social media behavior, and its impact on public figures’ careers.

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Footnotes:

1. The Guardian, “Emilia Pérez Star Karla Sofía Gascón Faces Backlash Over Controversial Tweets”
2. Variety, “Karla Sofía Gascón Issues Apology After Backlash Over Resurfaced Tweets”
3. People, “Zoe Saldaña Responds to Karla Sofía Gascón Controversy” and https://people.com/emilia-perez-oscar-nominee-karla-sofia-gascon-deletes-x-twitter-account-amid-controversy-8783814