Despite numerous controversies, Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón will still attend the Oscars this Sunday, Mar. 2.
On Monday, a representative for Gascón confirmed that the actress will attend the event, with Netflix covering the costs of her appearance at the ceremony. Gascón made history as the first openly trans actress nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of the titular character in Emilia Pérez—a film about a retired cartel boss who fakes her death and undergoes gender reassignment surgery to live as her authentic self.
This announcement comes off the heels of weeks of intense backlash against Gascón after X users unearthed past racist tweets of hers, where she expressed hateful views on Muslims, George Floyd, and diversity at the Oscars. Gascón issued an apology after her tweets resurfaced, but it didn’t do much to sway the public opinion in her favor.
“I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt,” she wrote in a statement to Variety. “As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well, and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain. All my life, I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness.”
Following this career-shaking scandal, Gascón missed multiple awards ceremonies, prompting people to question whether the actress would appear at the Academy Awards this Sunday despite her nomination for Best Actress.
There is no word yet on whether Gascón will walk the red carpet or conduct interviews alongside fellow co-stars Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldaña.
In an exclusive with The Hollywood Reporter, Gascón expressed gratitude towards Netflix for offering her another chance.
“I’m not sure how I feel, but I’m grateful to be back,” Gascón said. “I’m grateful to all those who’ve believed in me—to Netflix, the production company and my colleagues. We can close this beautiful and difficult path that began three years ago.”
