Calls for Oscars to revoke Karla Sofia Gascon nomination as backlash mounts

All eyes on are the Academy right now as fans are applying pressure for them to take action over Karla Sofia Gascon’s Oscar nomination.

The 52-year-old actress made history as the first out trans person to be nominated for an Academy Award in the best actress category for her role in Emilia Pérez.

But she has faced intense scrutiny over her former comments – with the recent one dating back to 2022 – on X targeting Muslims, George Floyd, Oscar diversity, and even her co-star Selena Gomez.

Karla rose to global fame as the titular character in Netflix’s acclaimed movie musical also starring Zoë Saldaña about a Mexican drug boss who starts afresh after transitioning into a woman.

 The 13-time Academy Award-nominated movie film itself has left people questioning how it has the same Academy Award nominations as the 2023 biographical drama Oppenheimer, after being dubbed ‘one of the worst films’ due to the representation of Mexican culture and the trans community.

With the biggest showbiz night of the year looming, fans have called for Karla’s nomination to be rescinded.

@sonofsunday129 wrote: ‘I seriously doubt it’ll happen, but Karla Sofía Gascón should probably have her Oscar nomination revoked, right?

‘Someone who literally tweeted praise of Hitler shouldn’t be given a platform like that.’

@TheCinemaaGuy added: ‘Why is The Academy not investigating Karla Sofía Gascón’s past remarks on various topics? They didn’t hesitate to investigate Andrea Riseborough’s Oscar nomination or revoke Will Smith’s Oscar win and ban him for 10 years.’

Addressing her stellar performance in the 2024 biographical film Maria, @JamesGilbert__ wrote: ‘Is it too late to revoke Karla Sofía Gascón’s Oscar nomination and instead put in Angelina Jolie?’

However, Reddit user Dirk Diggler said:  ‘Honestly, as much as I am appalled by some of her comments, her nomination needs to stay, and for a similar reason that Will Smith’s Oscar wasn’t revoked: their words and actions have nothing to do with their performances that were being celebrated by the Academy.

‘Now whether the Academy wants to celebrate them further with other nominations or a win is a separate question.’

In her latest interview with CNN, Karla apologised to anyone who ‘may have felt offended’ by her comments, but insisted that she ‘cannot step down from an Oscar nomination because I have not committed any crime, nor have I harmed anyone.’

When asked about Karla’s posts during a Q&A in London, her co-star Zoe, who is nominated for best supporting actress explained: ‘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,’ as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

Metro.co.uk has reached out to The Academy for comment.

The Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 2.

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