Emilia Pérez star Zoe Saldaña responds to Karla Sofía Gascón’s claim she supports her ‘200 per cent’

Zoe Saldaña has responded to her Emilia Pérez co-star Karla Sofía Gascón, who suggested Saldaña supports her “200 per cent” amid controversy over old social media posts.

Gascón, who became the first ever publicly transgender woman nominated for an acting Oscar award for her titular role in the Spanish-language Netflix film, has faced extensive condemnation after a slew of offensive X/Twitter posts resurfaced.

The numerous posts, which have since been deleted, included anti-Islamic sentiment, and attacked the response to George Floyd’s death and diversity at the Oscars.

During a tearful, hour-long interview with CNN Español earlier this month, which was not approved by Emilia Pérez streamer Netflix, Gascón argued that the posts should not “define” her and insisted that she is not a racist.

The actress, who has previously apologised for the posts, went on to suggest that her co-stars Saldaña and Selena Gomez support her “200 per cent”.

Asked about Gascón’s comment by Variety, Saldaña offered “a long blink” before reiterating a message she had previously shared about the controversy: “I do not support any negative rhetoric of racism and bigotry towards any group of people. That is what I want to stand for.”

Saldaña, who is also nominated for an Oscar for her role Emilia Pérez in the Best Supporting Actress category, added that she is both “sad” and “disappointed” by 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,” she shared.

“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.”

The fallout from Gascón’s unearthed social media posts has ruptured the film’s campaign at the Oscars, where it’s nominated for a record-breaking 13 nominations, including for Best Picture.

Karla Sofía Gascón has reportedly been “removed” from the promotional materials surrounding the film’s Oscars campaign, while Netflix is said to have distanced itself from the actress by refusing to cover her travel or styling fees for pre-Oscars events related to the film.

Meanwhile, Emilia Pérez’s Oscar-nominated director Jacques Audiard told Deadline that he hasn’t addressed Gascón’s comments with her, and doesn’t plan to.

“I haven’t spoken to her, and I don’t want to. She is in a self-destructive approach that I can’t interfere in, and I really don’t understand why she’s continuing,” he said, seemingly referring to Gascón’s decision to share multiple statements on the matter on social media, and appear on CNN.

“Why is she harming herself? Why? I don’t understand it, and what I don’t understand about this too is why she’s harming people who were very close to her. I’m thinking in this thing of how hurting others, of how she’s hurting the crew and all these people who worked so incredibly hard on this film,” he continued.

“I’m not getting in touch with her because right now she needs space to reflect and take accountability for her actions.”

Emilia Pérez is streaming on Netflix.

The Oscars take place on 2 March.

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