Emilia Pérez is one of the many films that’s been gaining positive buzz amid this awards season but, just a few weeks ago, controversy began swirling around one of the film’s stars. Lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón found herself in hot water over resurfaced tweets in which she made contentious comments on multiple topics. Her collaborators have commented on the matter in but so many words at this point. Now, Gascón’s co-star, Selena Gomez, is sharing thoughts on the situation as the Oscars loom.
In recent months, Selena Gomez — like her collaborators — has received praise and awards recognition for her work in the Spanish musical drama (which is available to Netflix subscription holders). The actress recently discussed the movie during a panel at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, where she was asked about the discourse surrounding her co-star. Gomez said (via THR’s X account) that “some of the magic has disappeared” from the experience due to what’s happened, but she also provided an optimistic take:
Thank you. I’m really good. Some of the magic has disappeared but I choose to continue to be proud of what I’ve done. I’m just grateful and live with no regrets.
All in all, the “Come & Get It” singer’s sentiments seem to indicate that she’s not looking to dwell on any negativity. Instead, she’s aiming to express pride in the more positive aspects of her experience crafting the Golden Globe-winning film. Others who helped craft the production seem to be proceeding through awards season in a similar fashion.
Karla Sofía Gascón received recognition from various institutions for her work in Emilia Pérez, in which she plays a drug cartel who begins a new life as a woman after undergoing gender-affirming surgery. Among the honors Gascón received was a 2025 Oscar nomination for Best Actress, making her the first openly trans woman to receive the nod. In late January, a number of past tweets from Karla Sofía Gascón became a significant topic of discussion. Messages she posted in 2020 included sentiments about the murder of George Floyd, Muslims living in Spain and more.
The Noble Family alum also reportedly tweeted about Selena Gomez in 2022, apparently calling her a “rich rat” amid her alleged feud with ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber and his wife, Hailey Bieber. Karla Sofía Gascón has since apologized for her comments but also denied having made the remark about Gomez. After Gascón personally arranged an interview with CNN en Español to discuss the situation, Netflix reportedly opted to distance itself from the actor, eventually choosing to no longer pay for her styling or airfare for awards shows.
Co-star Zoe Saldaña also weighed in, saying that she was “sad” and “still processing everything that has transpired in the last couple of days.” She also stated that she doesn’t “have any tolerance for any negative rhetoric towards people of any group.” When Saldaña accepted an award sometime later, she also seemed to nod at the controversy then. As for director Jacques Audiard, he told Deadline that he had no interest in speaking to his lead star and opined that she was “harming” herself and others with her actions.
Emilia Pérez is nominated for 13 Academy Awards this year and, amid the Karla Sofía Gascón controversy, there’s been speculation regarding the film’s chances of winning. One can only wait and see how that plays out when the show airs on March 2. In the meantime, it seems likely that Selena Gomez and co. will continue to push forward and promote the film as planned.
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