During Sunday's SAG Awards celebration of "Emilia Pérez," lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón's presence was notably minimized. The Spanish actor, who made history as the first transgender woman nominated for Best Actress, was barely visible in the film's highlight reel, which predominantly featured co-stars Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldaña.
Gascón's limited appearance follows recent controversy over offensive social media posts that resurfaced in late January. The posts included derogatory comments about Muslims, criticism of Oscar diversity, and controversial statements about George Floyd. She also allegedly referred to co-star Selena Gomez as a "rich rat."
While Netflix, the film's distributor, released an apology from Gascón expressing regret for any "hurt" caused, the actor later pushed back against the criticism in media interviews. Speaking to CNN Español, she stated she had been "convicted and sacrificed and crucified and stoned without a trial."
The SAG Awards marks the latest in a series of high-profile events Gascón has missed this awards season, including the Critics Choice Awards, PGA Awards, and BAFTAs. However, reports indicate she plans to attend the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony.
The apparent sidelining of Gascón at the SAG Awards reflects the ongoing fallout from her controversial statements and raises questions about how the industry is handling the situation as major awards events approach.