Less than two weeks ago, the film Emilia Perez was riding high with 13 Academy Award nominations. However, a social media scandal and subsequent backlash have led Netflix to distance itself from the film’s star, Karla Sofía Gascón, due to past Islamophobic and racist tweets.
Gascón, a Spanish actor who recently became the first openly transgender performer nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards, has now lost the support of both the streaming platform and her PR team, according to Variety.
In the past week, she has faced intense criticism for several offensive tweets posted over the last five years, including comments about George Floyd, Islam, and diversity at the Oscars. Despite issuing multiple apologies and addressing the controversy in an emotional hour-long interview with CNN en Español, where she tearfully insisted she was “not a racist,” the backlash has continued.
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According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix, which is distributing the film, has removed Gascón from promotional emails and is planning to revise the film’s posters to feature Zoe Saldana more prominently. Additionally, the company will reportedly not cover Gascón’s travel expenses or styling costs for events promoting the film.
