Karla Sofía Gascón, the Emilia Pérez actress currently nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars, is firmly standing by her work amid the controversy surrounding her past. In an interview with CNN en Español, Gascón addressed the backlash stemming from old racist and Islamophobic tweets, as well as an alleged negative comment about her Emilia Pérez co-star Selena Gomez.
Despite facing severe criticism—including death threats and harassment that led her to delete her X (formerly Twitter) account—Gascón remains adamant about her Oscar nomination. She stated, “I cannot step down from an Oscar nomination because I have not committed any crime, nor have I harmed anyone.” Gascón also defended her actions, insisting that she isn’t Islamophobic and rejecting the harmful labels that have been attached to her.
She became visibly emotional when discussing her past tweets, particularly those about George Floyd’s death, which sparked a widespread Black Lives Matter movement. Gascón had posted about Floyd as “a drug addict and a hustler,” which many interpreted as insensitive and offensive. She clarified that her comments came from a place of confusion, as she saw Floyd’s tragic death transforming him into a symbol of a larger cause, a shift that she struggled to process at the time.
Addressing the accusations of Islamophobia, Gascón shared her personal connection to a Muslim woman she once loved, emphasizing that this relationship proves her love and respect for the Muslim community.
While Gascón’s remarks have certainly ignited debate, she insists that her Oscar nomination is based on her professional work as an actress, and she has no intention of stepping back from the recognition she believes she deserves.