Zoe Saldaña expressed her sadness over the tweets from her Emilia Pérez costar, Karla Sofía Gascón, stating, «I don’t support it.»
Zoe Saldaña is speaking out about the controversy involving her Emilia Pérez costar, Karla Sofía Gascón, following the revelation of her controversial social media posts.
During a Q&A in London, Saldaña, 46, shared her feelings, saying, “I’m still processing everything that has happened over the past few days, and I’m really sad.”
She went on to express her disapproval of Gascón’s posts, which included derogatory remarks about Muslim culture, George Floyd, and diversity at the Oscars, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Saldaña added, “It really saddens me because I don’t support any of that, and I have no tolerance for negative rhetoric directed at any group of people.
I can only speak to my personal experience with everyone involved in this film, and that experience was rooted in inclusivity, collaboration, and respect for racial, cultural, and gender equity.
And it just saddens me.”
In response to the backlash, Gascón, 52, issued an apology and deactivated her X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday.
She had previously shared and then deleted posts critical of various subjects, including the Muslim community and diversity issues at the Oscars.
In her statement, Gascón referred to the situation as a “campaign of hate and misinformation,” apologizing again for any offense caused and acknowledging her imperfections: “I am a human being who makes mistakes, and I will learn from them.”
During the Q&A, where Gascón was also meant to be present, Saldaña shared her sadness over the situation, saying, “It’s unfortunate that we’re facing this setback right now.
But I’m glad you’re all here and that you’re continuing to support Emilia Pérez because the film’s message is powerful, and the change it can bring to marginalized communities is important.”
She concluded, “All I can say is that everyone involved in telling this story came together out of love, respect, and curiosity.
We will continue to spread that message. That’s all we can say for now. Thank you.”
In *Emilia Pérez*, Saldaña portrays Rita, a lawyer helping Gascón’s character, a Mexican drug cartel leader, fake her death and transition into a woman.
The film led the 2025 Oscar nominations with 13 nods, including Best Picture, marking a historic achievement for a predominantly non-English-language film.
Saldaña was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, and Gascón received a nomination for Best Actress, becoming the first openly transgender performer to be nominated for an Academy Award.
The cast also includes Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, and Édgar Ramírez.