Zoë Saldaña thanks SAG Awards for not ‘judging’ actors’ use of pronouns

Emilia Pérez star Zoë Saldaña used her SAG Awards acceptance speech to thank the SAG-AFTRA union for allowing actors not to be “judged” on the pronouns they use.

Saldaña has all but secured herself the Best Supporting Actress gong at Sunday’s Oscars ceremony (2 March), as she’s scored a win in all other major acting awards, including Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice, BAFTAs and now, SAG Awards.

At last night’s SAG ceremony (23 February), Saldaña triumphed over Wicked’s Ariana Grande, A Complete Unknown’s Monica Barbaro, The Last Showgirl’s Jamie Lee Curtis, and The Piano Lesson’s Danielle Deadwyler to take home the Best Supporting Actress gong for her role as lawyer Rita in controversial crime musical, Emilia Pérez.

During her speech, Saldaña appeared to reflect on attempts by Donald Trump’s administration to remove transgender and non-binary people from areas of public life, stating that “everyone has the right to be who they are”.

“To be in this room…this is my community, this is my circus… Thank you to SAG-AFTRA,” the actress began her speech.

“I got my first SAG card in 1998. I didn’t even know what SAG was. I am grateful that my mother and father and sisters looked it up and helped me educate myself to know what it means to be a part of a union that protects me so I can make a living out of this crazy industry.”

She continued: “I am proud to be a part of a union that allows me to be who I am. I’ve never been questioned where I come from or judged for how I speak or what my pronouns are. Everyone has the right to be who they are.”

Emilia Pérez sees Zoë Saldaña, as lawyer Rita, attempt to help the film’s titular, former cartel boss character (Karla Sofía Gascón) fake her own death so she can undergo gender-affirming surgery.

“Emilia Pérez is about truth and love,” Saldaña added, “and us actors really have to tell stories that are thought-provoking and beautiful and live within the spectrum of artistic freedom.”

At last week’s BAFTA Awards, Saldaña told PinkNews and other media that she had decided to take the role in Jacques Audiard’s explosive Spanish-language thriller in honour of her trans nephew, Eli.

“I’m dedicating all of these awards and film Emilia Pérez to my nephew, Eli. He is the reason – they are the reason – I signed up to do this film in the first place. So as the proud aunt of a trans life, I will always stand with my community of trans people,” she shared.

Gascón, who was nominated in the Best Actress category at the SAG Awards, wasn’t present at the event following controversy surrounding old social media posts in which she expressed anti-Islam sentiment and criticised the Oscars for prioritising diversity.

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