Zoe Saldaña Reacts to Karla Sofía Gascón Controversy — ‘I’m Still Processing’
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 05: Zoe Saldana attends the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on January 05, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/WireImage)
Zoe Saldaña, considered one of the frontrunners for the Supporting Actress Oscar for Emilia Peréz, spoke about the controversy surrounding the film’s leading lady, Karla Sofía Gascón. The star, who plays the titular character, has been allegedly removed from the film’s marketing after a slew of bigoted tweets surfaced.
“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,” Saldaña said on Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast. “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.”
Saldaña also said she was still “processing the situation,” adding that “It’s not just something we have to figure out immediately.”
Gascón has refused to apologize and even appeared on CNN En Español to claim Saldaña and Selena Gomez supported her 200%. Saldaña refused to confirm that and referenced a statement she made during a recent Q&A in London, the first time anyone from the movie had commented on the tweets.
“It makes me really sad because I don’t support [it], and I don’t have any tolerance for any negative rhetoric towards people of any group. I can only attest to the experience that I had with each and every individual that was a part, that is a part, of this film, and my experience and my interactions with them was about inclusivity and collaboration and racial, cultural, and gender equity. And it just saddens me,” she said then.
Saldaña did add that she was trying to not let Gascón’s words color the entire experience for her, while still holding her accountable. “I’m allowing myself to still experience that joy because we did come together as a team,” she said to Variety. “But we are also individuals who are responsible for everything that we say and everything that we do.”
Emilia Peréz director Jacques Audiard also reacted to Karla Sofía Gascón’s tweets, telling Deadline he hadn’t talked to her and didn’t want to and that it was unfortunate it was taking up all the space. Audiard also was clear that “What Karla Sofía said is inexcusable.”
