‘Emilia Pérez’ Star Contemplated the ‘Unthinkable’ During Rocky Oscars Season

Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón—who made history as the first openly trans woman to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress—said she “contemplated the unthinkable” after a rocky awards season in which previous controversial posts she had made on social media came to light. In addition to posting negative remarks about Muslims, Gascón had referred to George Floyd as a “hustler and a drug dealer.” Gascón received online hate and even death threats following the revelations. She subsequently deactivated her X account and was phased out of Netflix’s Oscars campaign for the film, although she attended the awards. She has repeatedly apologized and again asked for forgiveness in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on Saturday. She said she is committed to “continuing to learn and listen” and that, while her journey post-controversy has been dark, she wants to use it to open “an honest discussion and reflection on mental health.” She added that, despite the overwhelming pain, “I have kept my one inch of sanity to see the light at the end of this tunnel of hate and understand that I must be and do better, and correct my past faults, without engaging in more darkness.”