Trans woman targeted

“Emilia Pérez” actress threatened online

The Spanish actress Karla Sofía Gascón

(Bild: AFP/Raul Arboleda)

Spanish trans actress Karla Sofía Gascón has been the target of repeated hostility and threats following her Oscar nomination for "Emilia Pérez". "There were insults, all kinds of threats and humiliation," said the 52-year-old.

She was the first trans woman ever to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role. There is an "organized campaign" against the film online, said Gascón. "There are people who are regressive or have little mental capacity, who fight against freedom and respect as well as affection, love and a just, equal society."

Emilia Pérez is a film by French director Jacques Audiard. The musical thriller is about a Mexican drug baron who wants to leave his past behind and start a new life as a woman. The work received 13 nominations at the 2025 Academy Awards, making it the most nominated non-English-language film in history.

Here you can see a post about the Oscar nomination.

Gascón: mistakes repeat themselves
Gascón's nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role was announced almost simultaneously with Donald Trump's return to the White House. "I'm sorry that there are people like that (...). A mixture of village chieftains and neo-fascists who occupy institutions in many countries and spread hate," commented the actress. The world is making "the same mistakes of the past".

The 52-year-old made it clear that she would not be shaken by the personal attacks against her. She knows that she deserves the recognition. According to her own statement, the actress has also received congratulations from many celebrities and politicians, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the mayor of her native town of Alcobendas.