Bill Maher Says ‘Anora’ Beat Out ‘Emilia Pérez’ at Oscars Due to “Cancel Culture”
Bill Maher says “cancel culture” is absolutely “a real thing” and he has proof.
On the latest episode of HBO’s Real Time, while chatting with author-humorist David Sedaris, the host explained how “cancel culture” most recently impacted the 2025 Oscars, specifically with the controversy surrounding Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón.
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“There are people who say cancel culture isn’t a real thing and I would say to them, ‘It just happened at the Oscars,’” Maher said. “You may not think it happened but the movie that was going to win it all was Emilia Pérez.”
The comedian noted that “Hollywood loved” the idea of making history and finally having “a person, who was a trans person” win the best actress Oscar. “God bless her, she did a great job,” Maher added of Gascón’s performance.
While Gascón — the first-ever openly transgender woman to be nominated in her category — was initially a frontrunner in the Oscars race for best actress, her chances quickly took a turn when offensive tweets from the actress resurfaced on social media at the end of January. Following the scandal, Gascón kept a low profile, skipping the SAG Awards and Oscars red carpet; however, she did attend the Oscars ceremony on Sunday.
On Real Time, Maher called Gascón’s tweets “a little child-like,” adding “It was a little Kanye-esque, just whatever’s on the brain comes out,” referencing Kanye West’s past hate-filled rants on X (formerly Twitter).
“Just don’t mention Hitler. I feel like it never comes out good,” Maher said of Gascón’s tweets. “And then some things she said, which are just, ‘Oh yeah. You know what? I’ve said things like that.’ It’s just very, very honest. But of course, the woke community — it was way too far.”
The host continued, “And this movie, that was going to win it all, it was the front-runner, and she was going to get all… suddenly was out to lunch. And good news for Anora. That’s what happened. So yes, cancel culture is still with us. It may just be a little more subtle.”
Anora ultimately ended up being the big winner at the 2025 Oscars, taking home five wins, including best picture and best actress for star Mikey Madison. Emilia Pérez earned two Oscars, including best supporting actress for Zoe Salda?a and best original song for “El Mal.”
Following the Emilia Pérez controversy, Gascón issued an apology at the time, writing, “I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt. As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain. All my life I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness.”
The other guests featured on the latest episode of Real Time were Alyssa Farah Griffin and Sen. Jon Tester.
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