Zoe Saldaña says she ‘collapsed’ immediately following her Oscars win for ‘Emilia Pérez’
As a cinephile, I must confess that Zoe Saldaña’s acceptance speech for the Supporting Actress Oscar at this year’s Academy Awards left me in tears. But it wasn’t just her emotional exhaustion that was evident; she looked physically drained as well.
On the set of “Live With Kelly and Mark” yesterday, I shared that I’ve been battling a nasty cold and feeling utterly drained after a significant milestone in my acting career.
Immediately following my victory, I found myself crumpling to the ground. Within an hour of receiving the award, my voice vanished. Those heels I wore were a struggle, and all I desired was to retreat under the covers and weep. It’s odd, but I felt the overwhelming need to cry.
During awards season, the actress from “Avatar” mentioned that she had been keeping her body in top condition for several months straight prior to that moment.

Awards
The ‘Emilia Pérez’ actor expressed pride in being a descendant of immigrants, possessing aspirations, self-respect, and laborious hands, as she noted that she is the first actress of Dominican heritage to receive an Oscar.
Saldaña stated that with the surge of adrenaline coursing through your body, you’re confident your immune system is at its peak. However, once you signal that it’s all done, things seem to fall apart.
The triumph at the Oscars concluded a noteworthy streak of award-winning performances during the awards season for the actor from “Guardians of the Galaxy”, having secured the Golden Globe, BAFTA, SAG, and Critics’ Choice awards for portraying Mexico City lawyer Rita Castro in “Emilia Pérez”.
OR:
The Oscars win marked the culmination of a successful awards season journey for the “Guardians of the Galaxy” actor, as they had previously won the Golden Globe, BAFTA, SAG, and Critics’ Choice awards for their role as Rita Castro in “Emilia Pérez”.
OR:
The victory at the Oscars concluded an outstanding awards season for the “Guardians of the Galaxy” actor, who had already won the Golden Globe, BAFTA, SAG, and Critics’ Choice awards for their performance as Rita Castro in “Emilia Pérez”.
Despite the general acclaim and positive reception towards her acting, the movie itself faced harsh criticism due to its inadequate and insensitive representation of transgender matters and an apparent disregard for the authentic portrayal of Mexico.
According to the advocacy group for LGBTQ+ representation in media, GLAAD, the movie fell short in its portrayal of transgender characters. Notably, “Emilia Pérez” was not recognized with a GLAAD Media Award nomination.
Despite being drained both physically and emotionally, Saldaña skillfully delivered impactful remarks in the Oscars press room following a comment by a Mexican journalist who found the film’s portrayal of Mexico to be distressing.
Initially, I’d like to express my deepest apologies if you and numerous Mexicans felt hurt by the movie. It certainly wasn’t our plan to cause offense. Our discussions and work on this project stemmed from a heartfelt place, and I wholeheartedly stand behind that sentiment.

Awards
Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical about a cartel, titled ‘Emilia Pérez’, is creating quite a stir during this year’s Oscars – both positively and negatively. Let’s delve into the details of the ‘Emilia Pérez’ discussion.
She continued to strongly oppose the perspective presented by the Mexican journalist about Mexico’s pivotal role and significance in the 13-time Academy Award-nominated film.
In Saldaña’s own words, “The essence of this movie wasn’t Mexico for me. Instead, it was a story about friendship we were telling. It was a story about four women. These women, despite their struggles against daily challenges and systemic oppression, are universal figures who are striving to express themselves authentically.

Voices
Column: Forget ‘Emilia Pérez.’ Its parody, ‘Johanne Sacreblu,’ is the real work of art
Under the title “Johanne Sacrebleu,” a playful take on “Emilia Pérez” helmed by director Camila Aurora, is spreading like wildfire across the internet – and it’s not hard to see why.
Beyond the problems depicted in the movie itself, a significant portion of the principal actors and filmmakers faced overwhelmingly negative attention due to their own public relations mishaps.
Or:
Apart from the on-screen drama, many key members of the film’s production team encountered a barrage of unfavorable publicity, largely as a result of their own mistakes.
In January, actress Karla Sofía Gascón encountered criticism following the reemergence of tweets from 2016 to 2023 where she made derogatory comments about Muslims’ attire, speech, and traditions in her native Spain. Moreover, she faced scrutiny due to resurfaced remarks about the death of George Floyd in 2020, the subsequent racial awakening, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the Academy Awards ceremony during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.
Gascón later apologized for her previous online remarks and deactivated her X account.
In an interview, the movie’s director, Jacques Audiard, openly admitted that he didn’t prepare much for depicting Mexico, and during his media tour, he made disrespectful comments about the Spanish language.
Responding to a query from a Mexican journalist during a grand event about his preparation for the film, Audiard provided an insightful response concerning his research into Mexico and its culture.

World & Nation
Despite being a French production set in Mexico City, the movie ‘Emilia Pérez’ was met with a cold response upon its premiere. The criticism centered around the use of stereotypes and the unclear narrative about the drug cartels depicted in the film.
The filmmaker explained, “No, I didn’t delve deeply into studying. The essential knowledge I required, I already had some familiarity with. Instead, it was primarily about grasping minor nuances, which led us frequently to Mexico to observe actors, explore locations, appreciate decorations, and so forth.
In conversation with Konbini (a French outlet), Audiard expressed his thoughts about the Spanish language, stating, “Spanish is a language associated with modestly-sized nations, emerging economies, the underprivileged, and immigrants.
Later, Audiard expressed regret for his remarks following the film’s reception by Mexican viewers, which was met with criticism.
In the movie, Selena Gomez, who had a crucial secondary part, faced criticism regarding her fluency in Spanish. Notably, Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez expressed his concerns about Gomez’s acting and command of the Spanish language.
Previously, Gomez mentioned that her proficiency in Spanish decreased when she began working in television at age 7. In response to the criticism on social media, she stated, “I did my best with the time available to me. This doesn’t diminish the effort and passion I put into this film.” Later, Derbez issued an apology.
Gomez admitted that her Spanish skills weakened after starting television work at age 7. In response to criticism on social media, she explained, “I gave my best with the time I had, but it doesn’t lessen the effort and heart I put into this movie.” Derbez eventually apologized.
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2025-06-05 02:01