Zoe Saldaña has added a number of honors to her impressive list of accolades this awards season. She most recently took home the Best Supporting Actress honor at the London Film Critics Circle Awards for her performance in Netflix’s Emilia Pérez. Also, during her acceptance speech, she made comments that many believe subtly referenced the controversy surrounding her co-star and fellow 2025 Oscar nominee, Karla Sofía Gascón. Said situation is related to some resurfaced tweets from Gascón.
Karla Sofía Gascón, a transgender actress who played the titular role in Emilia Pérez, has been at the center of awards season discourse after winning Best Actress at Cannes—leading to debates over category placement, representation, and the industry’s handling of trans performers. Zoe Saldaña did not mention specific names during her address, but her comments appeared to reference the ongoing controversy related to the film, which is available for streaming with a Netflix subscription. During her acceptance speech (via Gold Derby), she stated:
I didn’t have anything prepared, you guys. I wasn’t expecting this, and especially now. I’m so grateful to you.
While brief, the Guardian of the Galaxy star’s emotional reaction seemingly suggests she’s aware one of the larger conversations swirling around Emilia Pérez. While she didn’t directly name Gascón, the actress later spoke about the struggles of following one’s convictions in the face of opposition. This message felt particularly relevant, given the cloud hanging over the film's awards campaign. She continued:
It is hard, it is very challenging, to believe in something with so much conviction that you are willing to go against the grain. And sometimes the grain can betray you, because the grain can tell you that it is the right path. But you believe in your heart and you do it. And I feel like that is the path of an artist, is to believe in what you’re feeling, if it’s coming from a place of love and purity and knowledge and education, research and hard work. Emilia was done with so much of all of those things.
Zoe Saldaña continued to express gratitude for her fellow cast members, including Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz, emphasizing how their collective efforts made the film possible:
When we all came together, we came with all of our luggage, all of our baggage, and we put it on the table, and we just made a lot with what we had. Something really beautiful came of it, and you saw it. So I want to thank you for seeing it.
Emilia Pérez is the most nominated film at this year's Oscars. Zoe Saldaña is a frontrunner in the Best Supporting Actress category and became a 2025 Golden Globe winner, thanks to her performance, which sparked considerable disdain amongst viewers. Whether the posts from Saldaña's co-star will affect her own chances at various upcoming award shows, including the Academy Awards, is uncertain.
The Star Trek alum’s speech follows comments she made a few days earlier at a London event promoting the Jacques Audiard-helmed film. When asked about the controversy surrounding Gascón’s resurfaced remarks, Saldaña reacted, acknowledging that she was still "processing" the situation but clarifying that she does not support any form of discriminatory rhetoric.
While Emilia Pérez has been a critical darling and remains a Best Picture contender, there is mounting speculation that the backlash surrounding Karla Sofía Gascón could impact the film’s Oscar chances. As of this writing, Zoe Saldaña remains the only cast member to address the situation publicly. Whether her words can help steady the film’s standing in awards season remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—she’s standing by the film’s message.
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