Before the Oscars on Sunday in 2025, academy CEO Bill Kramer addressed the buzz around Emilia Perez star Karla Sofia Gascón. With Karla potentially attending the event, Bill mentioned that “all nominees are invited to attend the show.” 

The CEO of the Academy addresses the controversy surrounding Karla Sofía Gascón

Karla, 52, has made history as the first transgender woman to receive a best actress nomination. Bill made it clear to The Hollywood Reporter, saying, “The Academy does not support hate speech. I want to emphasize that. Karla’s nomination is a significant milestone, and we recognize that. She’s still a nominee, and we respect that, but we do not tolerate hate speech.”

He also mentioned that “all nominees are welcome to attend the show,” and that includes Karla if she decides to come.

Bill expressed, “If Karla decides to join us for the evening, I hope everyone shows her respect. We have over 200 nominees, and the night is about celebrating all of them, not just one individual.”

Since 2022, Bill has been leading the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

About the stir

Karla, who stars as Emilia Pérez in the Netflix film, has been under fire after some old social media posts of hers, which include racially insensitive remarks about Black individuals, immigrants, and Islam, came to light in late January. Following the backlash, Karla, who made history as the first openly transgender performer nominated for an Oscar in an acting category, has issued multiple apologies. She also defended herself against claims of racism and xenophobia during a lengthy interview with CNN en Español.

In her defense, she stated, “I can’t give up my nomination because what I’ve done is my job, and what’s being recognized is my acting. I can’t renounce a nomination since I haven’t committed any crime or harmed anyone. I’m not a racist, nor am I what people are trying to portray me as.”

Earlier this month, it was reported that Netflix removed her from the Oscars campaign. She was also missing from the 2025 SAG Awards, despite being nominated, while her co-stars Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez took the stage to discuss their film.

Now, it seems that Karla will be attending the Oscars, even though she skipped the nominees dinner.

Everything you need to know about the 2025 Oscars

The 97th Academy Awards will be hosted by Conan O’Brien and is set for March 2, 2025. This big night in the entertainment world will take place at the Dolby Theatre. It’s a first for Conan, as he steps into the role of Oscars host. India is shining on the international film scene again, with the short film Anuja snagging a nomination for Best Short Film.

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