Karla Sofia Gascón, a prominent transgender actress, has made the decision to step back from the limelight for the remainder of the awards season, 

following a series of controversies linked to her past that have seemingly derailed her chances of becoming the first transgender person to win an Academy Award. 

The actress, known for her standout role in *Emilia Perez*, shared her decision in an emotional Instagram post on Friday, 

responding to an interview with director Jacques Audiard. 

In the interview, Audiard accused her of “self-sabotage,” and Gascón, in turn, vowed to stay silent for the rest of the awards campaign.

“I decided, for the film, for Jacques, for the cast, for the incredible crew who deserves it, for the beautiful adventure we all had together, to let the work talk for itself,” Gascón wrote. 

She continued, expressing her hope that her silence would allow the film to be appreciated for its deeper message of love and difference. “I sincerely apologize to everyone who has been hurt along the way,” she added.

Her vow to remain silent follows a rocky period in her awards campaign, which took a public hit after Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos reportedly distanced himself from her during the American Film Institute’s annual luncheon on Thursday. Sarandos chose to sit with creator Erin Foster and other stars instead of Gascón, Audiard, and her *Emilia Perez* co-stars Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldaña. While some speculated that this was a deliberate move by Sarandos, it was clarified that the seating arrangement had been planned from the start, with Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, Bela Bajaria, sitting at Gascón’s table.

However, the controversies surrounding Gascón go deeper than seating arrangements at awards events. The actress’s career has been overshadowed by past social media posts, particularly tweets that surfaced from her account dating back to 2020. These tweets, which include racially insensitive comments and controversial views on race and religion, have caused a significant backlash. One tweet, made in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, referred to him as a “drug addict swindler,” while another comment mocked the diversity at the 2021 Oscars ceremony, calling it an “Afro-Korean festival.” Additionally, Gascón faced backlash for remarks she made about the growing Muslim population in her hometown, as well as a derogatory comment about co-star Selena Gomez.

While these comments were made years ago, they resurfaced at a critical time for Gascón, just as her film *Emilia Perez* was garnering attention in the race for the Oscars. Her involvement in the awards season campaign for Best Actress had been widely anticipated, with Gascón becoming a symbol of progress in Hollywood by potentially making history as the first transgender woman nominated for an Academy Award. However, insiders believe that her past actions have now jeopardized her chances. 

An unnamed source spoke to *Page Six*, explaining that the PR missteps were partly due to Gascón’s naiveté about the Hollywood awards campaign. “She didn’t even think these tweets were detrimental to her campaign and didn’t think to pay to have them erased. She didn’t think to hide them,” the insider revealed. Gascón’s apparent lack of awareness regarding the weight of her public statements has contributed to the public relations disaster that has clouded her Oscar prospects. Some have also pointed to Netflix’s failure to conduct a thorough audit of Gascón’s past social media activity before launching an expensive campaign to promote her.

Despite the turmoil surrounding her, *Emilia Perez* itself continues to receive critical acclaim. The film has earned 13 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and Zoe Saldaña has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film. Saldaña has already won a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award for her performance and is considered a strong contender for an Oscar.

As for Gascón, the actress’s decision to keep quiet for the remainder of the season is seen by some as a means of shifting the focus back to the film and its powerful message. However, the damage to her personal reputation may already be too great to overcome, and many believe the campaign to make her the first transgender Oscar winner has all but imploded. 

For now, Netflix is pivoting its attention to other aspects of the film’s awards campaign, focusing on Saldaña’s performance and the film’s other critical nominations. Despite the setbacks, Gascón’s journey remains a poignant reminder of how swiftly the Hollywood spotlight can shift, especially when past actions catch up with public figures.

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