Karla Sofía Gascón Faces Backlash Over Controversial Social Media Posts

Karla Sofía Gascón Faces Backlash Over Controversial Social Media Posts


Karla Sofía Gascón, the star of Emilia Pérez and the first openly trans actor nominated for an Academy Award, is under fire after old social media posts resurfaced. The posts, dating back to 2020 and 2021, have sparked widespread criticism for their offensive comments on Islam, George Floyd, and diversity at the Oscars.

The controversy began when journalist Sarah Hagi shared the posts, many of which have since been deleted. In one post from November 2020, Gascón questioned the growing presence of Muslims in Spain, writing: “Every time I go to pick up my daughter from school there are more women with their hair covered and their skirts down to their heels.” Another post from September 2020 criticized Islam and women’s rights, while a January 2021 post called for a ban on religions that “fail to comply with human rights.”

Gascón also made inflammatory remarks about George Floyd, whose death sparked global protests in 2020. In a post, she referred to Floyd as a “drug addict swindler” and claimed that his death was exploited to push a false narrative of racism. “They’re all wrong,” she wrote in response to the outcry.

In addition to her comments on Islam and Floyd, Gascón expressed dissatisfaction with the diversity at the 2021 Academy Awards, calling the ceremony a “protest film” event. “I didn’t know if I was watching an Afro-Korean festival, a Black Lives Matter demonstration or the 8M,” she tweeted.

Her posts on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic also caused concern, with Gascón making jokes about the Chinese vaccine and accusing China of producing a “tremendous show for a new variant of the flu.”

The controversy resurfaced after Gascón made comments in an interview with a Brazilian newspaper, criticizing online campaigns that she believed were attacking her and her film. She specifically mentioned people associated with fellow nominee Fernanda Torres, which led to speculation that her comments violated Oscar guidelines. On January 29, Gascón clarified her remarks, expressing admiration for Torres and stating that her comments were aimed at the “toxicity and violent hate speech” she experiences online.

Netflix and the Academy have not commented on the situation, and Gascón's team has not responded to requests for further clarification.

As the backlash continues, many are questioning how Gascón's past statements might affect her future in Hollywood.