There are widespread celebrations post-Oscars because we don’t have to talk about or think about Emilia Perez ever again. It was possibly one of the most problematic films to ever get a Best Picture nomination, and thinkpieces will be written about how the f–k it got 13 Oscar nominations. I covered the extreme and well-documented backlash to the film from the LGBTQ+ community, including GLAAD Media’s refusal to cosign any part of the story with any kind of nominations. We also documented the well-earned backlash to Karla Sofia Gascon, the lead actress of the film and the first trans actress to get an Oscar nom. Gascon had a long history of saying and tweeting offensive, bigoted, racist and problematic sh-t. Meanwhile, in Mexico and throughout Latin America, there was another backlash to Emilia Perez – a backlash based on the European colonist attitudes prevalent throughout the film, from the French director’s vision of “Mexico” to the Spanish lead actress’s comments on Latin America. There was widespread disgust within Mexico over the film. Once Zoe Saldaña won her Oscar for Supporting Actress, she was asked about this by a Mexican entertainment reporter. Zoe’s answer was BAD!
Zoe Saldaña is standing by the messages in Emilia Pérez, but also open to continuing the conversation about how the movie “could’ve been done better.” Following her Best Supporting Actress win at the 2025 Oscars in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 2, the actress was asked by a reporter in the press room about some of the criticism surrounding the French-made film, which takes place in Mexico.
“A lot of things [have] been said about the movie, about trans people, about empowering women, but less has been said about Mexico, which is the heart of it,” the reporter told Saldaña, 46. “What would you say about the heart of this movie, but also the topic [that] is really hurtful for us Mexicans?”
“First of all, I’m very, very sorry that you and so many Mexicans felt offended [by Emilia Pérez],” Saldaña began her answer. “That was never our intention. We spoke and came from a place of love, and I will stand by that.”
The actress, who is of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent, went on to say that she doesn’t “share [the reporter’s] opinion,” in that “for me, the heart of this movie was not Mexico. We weren’t making a film about a country. We were making a film about four women.”
“And these women could have been Russian, could have been Dominican, could have been Black from Detroit, could have been from Israel, could have been from Gaza,” she continued. “And these women are still very universal women that are struggling every day trying to survive systemic oppression and trying to find their most authentic voices.”
Saldaña concluded, “So I will stand by that, but I’m also always open to sit down with all of my Mexican brothers and sisters, and with love and respect, having a great conversation on how Emilia could’ve been done better. I have no problem. I welcome it. Thank you.”
“For me, the heart of this movie was not Mexico…” I mean… it was clear that almost no one involved in making the film had ever been to Mexico or met any Mexican people. I can’t even imagine the unbridled arrogance of that, btw – to make this kind of film and show absolutely zero interest in grounding the film in any kind of authentic Mexican life when it’s set IN MEXICO and all of the characters are supposed to be Mexican.
“Emilia Pérez” star Zoe Saldaña responds to criticism of the film’s portrayal of Mexico, after a journalist shares that it has been “really hurtful for us Mexicans.” https://t.co/AUQtz88gSi pic.twitter.com/8MBNR4Pvcn
— Variety (@Variety) March 3, 2025
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
