Mere weeks after making history as the first openly trans actor nominated for an Academy Award, Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón is facing backlash over resurfaced social media posts from her X (formerly Twitter) account. The posts, many of which were deleted on Thursday after being resurfaced by journalist Sarah Hagi, contain controversial remarks about Muslims, George Floyd, and diversity at the Oscars, igniting intense debate online.

The posts, primarily from 2020 and 2021, showcase a pattern of inflammatory rhetoric. On Nov. 22, 2020, Gascón commented on the growing Muslim population in Spain:

A post from Sept. 2, 2020, featured an image of a Muslim family in a restaurant, including a woman wearing a burqa. Gascón wrote:

In another post from Jan. 29, 2021, Gascón’s account stated that “Islam fails to comply with international rights,” adding that religion “must be banned as long as it does not comply with DDHH” (an abbreviation for human rights in Spanish law). Her criticism extended to multiple religious institutions.

On Aug. 16, 2021, she wrote:

In addition to her comments about Islam, Gascón posted a thread about George Floyd just days after his murder, which sparked global protests against police brutality.

On May 30, 2020, she wrote:

She continued in a follow-up post:

Gascón also made disparaging remarks about the 2021 Oscars ceremony, which was the first following the COVID-19 pandemic and saw Nomadland win Best Picture.

In a now-deleted post, she wrote:

Gascón’s tweets also included anti-China sentiments during the pandemic. In August 2020, she mocked the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine, writing:

A February 2020 post read:

Neither Netflix nor the Academy has issued a statement regarding the resurfaced posts, and representatives for Gascón have not responded to requests for comment.

This controversy comes just days after another incident involving Gascón, in which she appeared to criticize the I’m Still Here campaign, the film starring fellow Best Actress nominee Fernanda Torres. In a Jan. 21 interview with a Brazilian newspaper, Gascón condemned online attacks on Emilia Pérez and seemed to suggest Torres’ team was engaged in a smear campaign against her.

She Continued:

Following backlash, Gascón released a statement via Variety clarifying her remarks:

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How Will This Impact Gascón’s Oscar Campaign?

With Emilia Pérez positioned as a major contender this awards season, these resurfaced comments could pose a significant threat to Gascón’s Oscar campaign. The Academy has a history of distancing itself from nominees with controversial pasts, as seen in cases like Kevin Hart stepping down from hosting the Oscars after old tweets resurfaced.

Additionally, given the Academy’s ongoing push for diversity and inclusion, Gascón’s comments about Muslims, George Floyd, and the Oscars’ racial representation may alienate many voters. While the Emilia Pérez team has yet to issue a formal statement, the controversy is already making waves on social media, with many users calling for her nomination to be rescinded.

As the awards race heats up, it remains to be seen how the Academy and the industry will respond to this growing backlash.

Gascón’s resurfaced tweets paint a complex and controversial picture of the actor, raising questions about accountability, cancel culture, and the intersection of personal beliefs with public personas. With the Oscars approaching, this controversy may either die down or escalate into a defining moment of the awards season.