Karla Sofia Gascon, the Oscar-nominated actress from Emilia Perez, struggled to hold back tears during a heartfelt interview as she confronted the controversy linked to recently resurfaced social media posts. The 52-year-old performer, nominated for Best Actress for her portrayal of a transgender crime boss in the Netflix musical, has encountered significant backlash due to offensive tweets she shared over the last five years. These posts, which contained comments regarding George Floyd, Islam, and diversity at the Oscars, have rapidly eclipsed her awards campaign, resulting in a surge of criticism.

Gascon broke down in tears while addressing racism backlash

Gascon asserted during her extensive interview with CNN en Español that she is not “a racist,” expressing her emotions as she confronted her contentious social media history. In a conversation with interviewer Juan Carlos Arciniegas, she was queried about the possibility of renouncing her Oscar nomination, which marks the first time an openly transgender actor has received such recognition. She responded, “I cannot renounce a nomination because what I have done is a job and what is being valued is my acting work,” as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

Gascon elaborated, “I cannot withdraw from an Oscar nomination because I have not committed any crime nor have I harmed anyone. I am neither racist nor any of the things that these individuals have attempted to portray me as.” She also addressed her tweet regarding George Floyd, who was killed by a white police officer in 2020, an event that catalyzed the Black Lives Matter movement. In her tweet, she referred to Floyd as a “drug addict and a hustler,” stating, “his death has served to highlight once again that there are those who still consider Black people to be monkeys without rights and those who consider the police to be murderers. All wrong.”

She claimed that her now-deleted tweet was misconstrued, explaining to the media outlet, “He was a person who had been in a very difficult situation in his life and no one had helped him, and suddenly he becomes a symbol of a cause and everyone loved him.” She further stated, “But for someone to think that … I have ever insulted a person because of their skin colour, I do not allow that to anyone, to anyone.”

Gascon addresses her other controversial tweets

In light of the criticism regarding tweets deemed Islamophobic, Gascon clarified that she intended to critique radical Islam and that she never sought to harm anyone. She spoke about her bond with a Muslim woman whom she deeply admires and loves, stating that this relationship has significantly influenced her understanding of respect for others.

Gascon remarked, “What have I accomplished in my life? What have I done? I haven’t harmed a single creature. When I encounter a spider in my home, I gently place a glass over it to avoid killing it and then release it outside,” as translated by Deadline.

She extended her “most heartfelt apologies to anyone who may have felt offended by my past, present, or future expressions,” adding, “I feel as though I have been judged, condemned, sacrificed, and stoned without a fair trial or the opportunity to defend myself.”

While many of the tweets circulating online are authentic, some are fabricated, including one in which she allegedly referred to her co-star Selena Gomez as a “rich rat.” Regarding this tweet, Gascon stated, “That is not mine, of course. I have never made any disparaging remarks about my colleague, nor would I ever refer to her in that manner.”

She asserted that individuals have “dedicated themselves to compiling everything I have said over time, much of which is false … most of which I do not even recognize as my own words. They have assembled these statements to portray me as a very bad person, and they chose to remove me from the Oscar race precisely when it would cause the most harm, during the voting period.”

The actress emphasized that she “does not care about awards.” She added, “What truly matters to me is the people I represent and what I stand for in this world. We all can change and become better individuals.” This interview was conducted independently of Netflix, the distributor of the film Emilia Perez.

Read Also: Shah Rukh Khan’s Bold Statement at Netflix Event Leaves Fans in Awe—Watch

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!