The 2025 Academy Awards brought its fair share of controversies, but one of the most talked-about moments of the night involved Emilia Perez star Karla Sofía Gascón. 

The actress, who had been dropped from the film’s Oscars campaign following the resurfacing of offensive social media posts, still attended the ceremony,

sparking outrage among viewers. Many were left disgusted that she was welcomed and even applauded despite past racist and Islamophobic remarks.

Gascón’s Controversial Oscars Appearance

Gascón’s presence at the prestigious event caught many by surprise, especially given the backlash she faced in recent months. 

The Spanish actress, who starred as the title character in Emilia Perez, had become the center of controversy after offensive remarks about Muslims, 

George Floyd, and diversity at the Oscars resurfaced.

Although Netflix, the film’s U.S. distributor, had distanced itself from her during the awards season, Gascón still attended the show, where she was even acknowledged by host Conan O’Brien. During his opening monologue, O’Brien made a sharp joke at her expense, saying, “Anora uses the F-word 479 times. That’s three more than the record set by Karla Sofía Gascón’s publicist.” As the audience reacted with an awkward mix of groans and laughter, O’Brien continued by pretending to take a phone call before joking, “Karla, if you tweet about the Oscars tonight, my name is Jimmy Kimmel.”

Though some found the joke amusing, many viewers were outraged that Gascón was being given any recognition at all.

Social Media Backlash

Online, the reaction was swift and harsh. Many users took to social media to express their disappointment that Gascón was present and even applauded by some in the audience.

One viewer posted, “Hollywood is so f—ing hypocritical it’s actually hysterical. You spend weeks pretending to condemn Karla Sofía Gascón just to invite her to the #Oscars & have Conan on stage giving her a warm welcome as if she hasn’t eviscerated the cultures of everyone in that room.”

Another tweeted, “They all f—ing cheered and clapped for Karla Sofía Gascón. Hollywood loves to act like they embrace diversity and that they’re liberal, yet they all f—ing clapped for a racist, Islamophobic woman who called the 2021 Oscars an ‘Afro-Korean festival.’ Shameful.”

A third viewer was equally unimpressed, writing, “Was surprised he did that in front of her.”

The backlash was not just limited to social media. Many industry insiders and film critics also questioned why Gascón was even in attendance, given the controversy surrounding her past statements.

Netflix Distances Itself from Gascón

Despite the overwhelming success of Emilia Perez, which received 13 Oscar nominations, Gascón had been effectively cut from the film’s promotional campaign. Reports indicated that Netflix, which heavily backed the film, had decided against flying her to Los Angeles for award season events due to the backlash. The decision reportedly strained relations between the actress and the streaming giant, which had initially planned a significant marketing push for her.

Gascón’s fall from grace began when old social media posts surfaced, including derogatory comments about the Muslim community. One particularly offensive post from November 2020 read, “I’m sorry. Is it just my impression, or is there more Muslims in Spain? Every time I go to pick up my daughter from school, there are more women with their hair covered and their skirts down to their heels. Next year, instead of English, we’ll have to teach Arabic.”

Her comments on George Floyd also sparked outrage. In a resurfaced post, she wrote, “I really think that very few people ever cared about George Floyd, a drug addict swindler, but his death has served to once again demonstrate that there are people who still consider black people to be monkeys without rights and consider policemen to be assassins. They are both wrong.”

There were even buried remarks about her Emilia Perez co-star Selena Gomez, whom she allegedly called a “rich rat who plays the poor b—- whenever she can.”

Gascón Issues Public Apology

As the backlash grew, Gascón attempted to do damage control, issuing a public apology. “I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt,” she said. “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.”

However, for many, the apology was too little, too late. The damage had been done, and her mere presence at the Academy Awards was enough to reignite the outrage.

A Night Overshadowed by Controversy

While the 2025 Oscars celebrated the best in film, Gascón’s appearance became one of the most controversial moments of the night. Her attendance, despite being dropped from the awards campaign, fueled debates about Hollywood’s selective accountability when it comes to public figures and past transgressions.

Though Emilia Perez had an impressive showing at the ceremony, Gascón’s involvement in the film continues to be a point of contention. For many viewers, her presence at the event was a stark reminder of the ongoing struggles within the industry when it comes to addressing racism and accountability.

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