Karla Sofía Gascón Seemingly Skips Oscars Red Carpet, Tweet Controversy Mocked in Opening Monologue
Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón is making her debut at the 2025 Oscars as a nominee but seemingly skipped the red carpet following the recent controversy surrounding her offensive resurfaced tweets.
Gascón, who is the first openly trans woman to be nominated for a best actress Oscar, has kept a low profile in the weeks leading up to Sunday night’s show, notably missing the SAG and Critics Choice Awards, as well as the AFI Awards luncheon on Feb. 6.
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A source told The Hollywood Reporter that Netflix, which released Emilia Pérez in November, covered Gascón’s travel costs. It is customary for studios to cover travel for their Oscar nominees.
“I’m not sure how I feel, but I’m grateful to be back,” Gascón told THR exclusively when it was announced she’d be attending the ceremony. “I’m grateful to all those who’ve believed in me — to Netflix, the production company and my colleagues. We can close this beautiful and difficult path that began three years ago.”
THR spotted Gascón near her Emilia Pérez co-star Selena Gomez inside the Dolby Theatre prior to the show.
Despite not walking the red carpet and talking to press, the actress didn’t go unnoticed by host Conan O’Brien. During his opening monologue, O’Brien quipped, “I love Anora — Anora uses the f-word 479 times. That’s three more than the record set by Karla Sofia Gascon’s publicist.”
He then added, “Karla Sofia Gascon is here tonight. Karla, if you are going to tweet about the Oscars, remember: My name is Jimmy Kimmel.”
Prior to the Oscars, the Emilia Pérez star attended the César Awards in France which marked her first red carpet appearance since she was engulfed in controversy. Gascón reportedly did not speak to the press during her appearance.
Throughout this awards season Gascón has received recognition and multiple actress nominations for her titular role in Emilia Pérez, which is the most nominated film this year with 13 nods.
However the road to Oscars gold took a turn when the actress became engulfed in controversy when years-old tweets resurfaced of Gascón making racially charged remarks that were also considered antisemitic and xenophobic. Though Gascón has since apologized and participated in an hourlong interview with CNN en Espa?ol to defend herself, the actress eventually announced that she would be stepping back from the film’s Oscar campaign to refrain from being a distraction and “allow the film to be appreciated for what it is, a beautiful ode to love and difference.”
The film’s director Jacques Audiard, as well Gascón’s co-stars Zoe Salda?a and Gomez have individually spoken out about the controversy.
Audiard told Deadline Hollywood that he hadn’t “spoken to her, and I don’t want to” following her resurfaced comments. He added, “She is in a self-destructive approach that I can’t interfere in, and I really don’t understand why she’s continuing. Why is she harming herself? Why? I don’t understand it, and what I don’t understand about this, too, is why she’s harming people who were very close to her.”
Meanwhile, Salda?a said of the controversy, “It makes me really sad because I don’t support [it], and I don’t have any tolerance for any negative rhetoric towards people of any group. I can only attest to the experience that I had with each and every individual that was a part, that is a part, of this film, and my experience and my interactions with them was about inclusivity and collaboration and racial, cultural and gender equity. And it just saddens me.”
Gomez said that following the scandal, “Some of the magic has disappeared”, but wants to “continue to be proud of what I’ve done” and “grateful and live with no regrets.”
Going into Sunday’s show, Emilia Pérez leads the nominations with 13, setting a record for a non-English-language film. Mikey Madison ended up winning the best actress award for Anora. Meanwhile, Salda?a won for supporting actress.
The 97th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O’Brien, are airing live coast-to-coast on Sunday, March 2, from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on ABC and Hulu. Check out the A-list red carpet arrivals here.
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