Karla Sofía Gascón Under Fire for Controversial Tweets

Emilia Pérez Star Karla Sofía Gascón Under Fire for Controversial Tweets

Karla Sofía Gascón, the Spanish actor who recently became the first openly transgender person to receive an acting nomination at the Oscars, is facing backlash for a series of troubling tweets that have resurfaced. The tweets, which have since been deleted, express controversial opinions on Islam, George Floyd, and other topics.

Variety and the Hollywood Reporter have reported on the tweets, which were originally written in Spanish. In one tweet, Gascón referred to George Floyd as a "martyr hero" but also wrote that "very few people ever cared about George Floyd, a drug addict and a hustler." She went on to say that his death highlighted the issue of racism and police brutality, but also claimed it was "no longer a question of racism but social classes that feel threatened by each other."

In another tweet, Gascón wrote about the growing Muslim population in Spain, expressing concern about the increasing number of women wearing headscarves and long skirts. She also suggested that Arabic might need to be taught in schools instead of English. In other tweets, she referred to Islam as a "hotbed for infection" and called for a ban on religions that violate human rights.

Gascón has yet to comment on the controversy, and Netflix, which bought Emilia Pérez, has also remained silent. The film, which tells the story of a cartel boss transitioning into a woman, has also faced criticism from the LGBTQ+ community and in Mexico, where it is set. Advocacy group GLAAD called it "a profoundly retrograde portrayal of a trans woman" and said it represented "a step backward" for representation.

The controversy surrounding Gascón's tweets has raised questions about her suitability for the Oscar nomination and the representation of transgender people in film. It remains to be seen how this will impact her career and the film's reception.