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Zoe Saldana Speaks Out After Emilia Perez Co-Star’s Racist Posts Resurface

BBG News

Following the recent reemergence of offensive tweets from her co-star Karla Sofia Gascón, including those that were racist, homophobic, and anti-Islam, Zoe Saldaña has finally spoken out about the issue.

Over these past few days, I’ve been left reeling with emotions, and it’s left me feeling quite melancholic. Just as Saldaña put it at a Q&A session for her Best Supporting Actress-nominated role in Emilia Pérez, held in London on Friday, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

In a report, it was noted that the actor from ‘The Avatar’ series, without commenting on Gascón or the contentious social media posts, sat beside Emilia Pérez (director) Jacques Audiard. Originally planned to be present, Gascón was unaccounted for at the event.

Saldaña went on to say, “It truly saddens me as I do not endorse or tolerate any form of derogatory speech directed at individuals belonging to any group.

In every person involved in making this movie, I’ve shared an experience centered around inclusivity, collaboration, and fairness regarding race, culture, and gender. It’s disheartening to see.

Additionally, she voiced her displeasure about the movie encountering a ‘hurdle’, yet appreciated the supporters for remaining committed to the endeavor.

This film carries a potent message, and its potential impact on underserved communities, which face daily struggles, is significant and crucial.

Furthermore, I’d like to emphasize that every individual who collaborated on narrating this tale did so driven by feelings of affection, admiration, and inquisitiveness. We are committed to carrying forth this ethos, sharing the same sentiment with others.

‘That’s all we can say right now. Thank you.’

After Gascón spoke about Saldaña deleting her X account due to an apology concerning the re-emergence of old tweets, Saldaña made her comments.

In his tweets, Gascón expressed disapproval towards the diversity shown at the 2021 Oscars, referred to George Floyd as a “drug addict and swindler” following his death at the hands of a police officer in 2020, which led to widespread protests across the country, and made derogatory remarks about Islam, asserting that it falls short in upholding international human rights.

Through a series of tweets observed prior to her account deactivation, Gascón was found to have employed offensive language, referring to members of the LGBTQ+ community as “f***ers” and expressing criticism towards certain aspects of discourse within the LGBTQ+ movement.

On Friday, Gascón explained she deleted her X account after receiving death threats and harassment.

In her statement, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Gascón, aged 52, expressed that she can no longer tolerate this campaign of hate and misinformation, which has now reached her family. As a result, she will be closing her account on X.

* I’ve faced threats of death, insults, abuse, and harassment that have left me drained. Above all, I need to shield my precious daughter, whom I adore deeply and who stands by me in every situation.

In a heartfelt declaration, I’d say, “I’ve stood up for every minority across the globe, advocating tirelessly against racism, intolerance towards different faiths, and homophobia. Just as I call out hypocrisy when I see it, I never shy away from self-examination, knowing that my greatest critic is always myself.

It’s possible that I sometimes use incorrect words, often due to lack of knowledge or accident. I apologize for any offense caused in the past or potentially in the future. As a fallible human, I am prone to errors, but I strive to learn from them. I am not infallible.

‘What I express is my sole responsibility; it’s not on me if others misconstrue my words or claim things I haven’t actually said.’

‘I hope to have the opportunity to give a more extensive explanation at some point.

I apologize for my inconsistency, as I’m unable to address each point you raise due to the volume of information, and to avoid being overwhelmed or misdirected.

If you prefer, feel free to persist with your criticism, as though I’m the one causing global hunger and conflict. Once more, I extend my apologies if my words have unintentionally caused offense in any way throughout my life.

She stated: I am simply Karla Sofía Gascón, an actress who has managed to reach great heights primarily through my dedication and hard work, without resorting to dishonesty or causing harm to anyone. All I’ve ever wanted is to live peacefully, love, and be respected. It seems that this ideal of mine disturbs a significant number of people in our world.

‘It is clear that there is something very dark behind it.’ 

However, Gascon is still receiving increased criticism due to the emergence of new contentious texts, which include disparaging remarks about her Emilia Pérez’s co-star, Selena Gomez.

2022 saw Gascón, the trailblazing transgender actress who was nominated for Best Actress, express her criticism of Gomez through a tweet. This came in response to a widely recognized photograph featuring Selena and Hailey Bieber posing together, despite persistent rumors about their feud. The rumors stemmed from Hailey’s marriage to Justin Bieber, who was previously linked to Selena. These reports were covered by The Latin Times.

She acts as a wealthy rodent pretending to be down-on-her-luck whenever possible and consistently bothers her former boyfriend and his spouse, according to Gascón’s statement at the age of 52.

As a devoted follower, I noticed the growing criticism when someone highlighted an interesting fact about X’s user. They pointed out that just months prior to their comment, District Attorney Gascón had shared news regarding Emilia Pérez. Interestingly, her name was mentioned alongside Penelope Cruz (Gomez) and Zoe Saldaña, suggesting them as potential cast members in a project.

Was it coincidental that Gascón made those stern comments at a time when it was unclear if he would collaborate with Gomez?

This recent post has been brought back to light following the controversy surrounding Gascón over old anti-Islamic posts on her social media. She later apologized for causing hurt feelings and chose to deactivate her X account.

The reemergence of this post is due to criticism against Gascón concerning past anti-Islam posts on her social media, resulting in an apology from her for causing pain before she decided to close her X account.)

However, despite her apology, people on the internet keep unearthing old posts, thereby prolonging the ongoing debate or stirring it up further.

In a different article dated May 2020, Gascón made critical comments about Adele, suggesting that she might have excess skin on her arms following her weight loss journey.

She also took aim at Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro in yet another controversial post.

Supporters are advocating for the Academy to withdraw her nomination, with one person saying, “That’s why Adele won it, and you will be losing it.” (In simpler terms, fans want the Academy to take back their nomination because someone else (Adele) won it before, implying that this person might lose it now.)

Muslim author Sarah Hagi uncovered Islamophobic content, which she then translated into English for Variety.

A post dated November 2020 stated: ‘I apologize for any misunderstanding, but it seems to me that there might be an increase in the Muslim population in Spain. Each time I collect my daughter from school, I notice more women wearing head coverings and long skirts. It appears that next year, instead of English, we’ll be teaching Arabic.’

A blog post dated back to September 2020 showcased a picture of a Muslim family enjoying their meal at a restaurant, all dressed in conventional Islamic clothing. The woman was fully veiled, wearing a long, black burqa from head to toe.

In a straightforward and clear manner: ‘Gascón wrote that Islam is wonderful, free of any form of machismo. Women are highly respected within it, and when they are, they wear a veil that leaves only an opening for their eyes and mouth, but this is conditional upon their behavior. He added that women choose to dress this way for their own satisfaction. Gascón strongly disapproves of this custom.’

2021 saw Gascón expressing his views as follows: “Islam does not meet international standards for human rights,” and he voiced his frustration with “the excessive amount of this nonsense, be it Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, or any other belief system that infringes upon human rights.

Additionally, she shared posts regarding George Floyd, whose tragic death at the hands of the Minneapolis police during a protest where he pleaded “I can’t breathe,” ignited massive Black Lives Matter demonstrations in 2020.

Gascón expressed: ‘I truly believe that most individuals didn’t care much about George Floyd, a man with a history of drug addiction and alleged fraud, but his death has shown us once more that there remain those who view black people as mere creatures without rights, equating them to monkeys. Additionally, they incorrectly label police officers as cold-blooded killers. Both perspectives are misguided.’

Reflecting upon recent events, I find myself pondering deeply about human behavior and its underlying patterns. It seems we’re not just dealing with racism, but perhaps it’s more about social strata feeling threatened by one another. This could be the true divide, don’t you think?

In 2021, Gascón, the trailblazing transgender actress who received an Oscar nomination, criticized the Hollywood awards event in a harshly worded post.

‘The Oscars are increasingly appearing to be a platform for indie and activist films,” she wrote. “I wasn’t sure if I was watching an Afro-Korean cultural event, a Black Lives Matter rally, or the International Women’s Day celebration. Additionally, it was quite an unattractive gala.

Among her controversial tweets were anti-Chinese posts made the Covid pandemic.

She mentioned that along with the compulsory microchip, the Chinese vaccine also includes two spring rolls, a mechanical cat, two artificial flowers, a pop-up lantern, three phone lines, and one Euro for your initial eligible transaction, as written by her.

In an interaction with DailyMail.com, I felt it necessary to address the discussion sparked by my previous social media posts that have unintentionally inflicted pain on some people.

As a member of an underrepresented group, I can empathize with the hardships we face, and I apologize sincerely for any distress I may have inadvertently inflicted. Throughout my life, I’ve been committed to working towards a more equitable world. I remain steadfast in my conviction that hope will ultimately vanquish adversity.

The Muslim Public Affairs Council has previously criticized Gascón’s posts, as evident from their statement made to The Wrap last Thursday.

Whether or not these tweets were removed, they are still harmful, disrespectful, and disturbing, especially since their author belongs to another marginalized group,” they asserted. “It is crucial to remember that Muslims are represented in every community, including the transgender community.

At the forthcoming Oscars, Gascón is nominated in the Best Actress category alongside Cynthia Erivo (from Wicked), Mikey Madison (known for Anora), Demi Moore (featured in The Substance) and Fernanda Torres (starring in I’m Still Here).

Earlier this month, Torres publicly apologized following the reemergence of a 17-year-old TV skit featuring her in blackface makeup.

This year, Gascón’s movie “Emilia Pérez” received the most nominations across various categories. These include recognition in prestigious areas such as Best Picture (top accolade), Best Director (Jacques Audiard), Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldaña), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film from Another Country.

In the movie, Karla takes on the role of Emilia Pérez, a cartel leader who seeks the assistance of undervalued lawyer Rita Mora Castro (performed by Saldaña), to orchestrate a deceitful death scenario, enabling her to transition and ultimately live sincerely as her true self.

As a devoted admirer, I’d like to share that, in 2018, a celebrated figure in our world underwent the majority of their personal transformation, marking a significant step in their gender journey. After spending numerous years gracing Mexican telenovelas with their presence, they unveiled their new identity to us all.

In the course of these events, we’ll find out how it influences Gascón’s public perception and her chances in the competition for awards.

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2025-02-01 11:38

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