Oscars Joke About Racist Tweets

by

At the 97th Academy Awards, host Conan O’Brien didn’t shy away from acknowledging the uproar about Emilia Pérez from Netflix. In his opening remarks, O’Brien specifically highlighted Karla Sofía Gascón’s presence; Gascón is the lead actress who has faced criticism after old tweets with racist and xenophobic content resurfaced. Despite avoiding the red carpet, Gascón attended the event where she is nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars. O’Brien humorously joked about the expletives that may have been used by Gascón’s publicist during awards season, and as the camera zeroed in on Gascón, O’Brien quipped:

“If you are going to tweet about the Oscars, remember, my name is Jimmy Kimmel.”

In a groundbreaking moment, Gascón became the first openly trans actress to secure a Best Actress nomination. Her captivating performances include portraying Juan “Manitas” Del Monte, a Mexican drug cartel leader, and the title character following Juan’s gender-affirming surgery. Regrettably, this significant achievement has been overshadowed by past tweets from Gascón, dating back to 2020, which contained insensitive remarks about George Floyd, Muslims, and expressed criticism of the Oscars for focusing too much on independent and protest films. Particularly noteworthy was her critique of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Initially, there were rumors that Gascón might skip the Oscars. However, in an arrangement typical for such events, Netflix eventually covered Gascón’s travel expenses to attend the ceremony. Previously, regarding his attendance, Gascón himself had mentioned…

I’m a bit unsure about my emotions, but I’m deeply appreciative to have returned. I want to express my gratitude to everyone who had faith in me – to Netflix, the production team, and my fellow workers. Together, we’ve traveled through a stunning yet challenging journey that began three years ago. Now, it’s time to close this chapter.

Karla Sofia Gascón’s Comments Contradict ‘Emilia Pérez’s Message

The fallout from Gascón’s remarks significantly impacted the musical drama, known for its themes of acceptance and diversity. After the re-emergence of old tweets, co-star Zoe Saldaña denounced any hate speech related to racism and bigotry towards any group. In the end, Gascón apologized for her posts, acknowledging that as a member of a minority community, she understands such pain all too well, and deactivated her Twitter account.

Beyond the controversy surrounding Gascón’s comments, Emilia Pérez has faced criticism on multiple fronts as well. Some LGBTQ+ communities argue that the film fails to accurately and authentically portray a trans character. It has also sparked controversy for its depiction of Mexican culture, and there are questions about a French director leading a Spanish-language production. However, these issues have not deterred Emilia Pérez from creating quite an impact during this awards season. The genre-blending Netflix film has garnered 13 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress.

For the first time, O’Brien took on hosting duties. His opening act was a skit that paid homage to Los Angeles, accompanied by musical performances from Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. This year’s Best Actress category features strong competitors such as Demi Moore (The Substance), Mikey Madison (Anora), Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here), Gascón, and Cynthia Erivo (Wicked).

Read More

2025-03-03 04:33