⁠"It saddens me that we are having to face this setback right now" - Emilia Perez star Zoe Saldana on Karla Sofia Gascon's tweet controversy

Zoe Saldana has spoken up on her Emilia Perez co-star, Karla Sofia Gascon’s tweet controversy during a Q&A round held in London, and stated how she does not “support it.”

Zoe’s statement came just a day after Karla Sofia received immense backlash for her resurfaced tweets from 2020 and 2021, where she commented in a controversial manner about Muslims, George Floyd, BTS, Adele, Oscars, and much more.

Zoe Saldana said:

“I’m still processing everything that has transpired in the last couple of days, and I’m sad. 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.”

Zoe Saldana continued:

“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. It saddens me that we are having to face this setback right now."

Zoe Saldana then stated how happy she was to see people “showing up for Emilia,” as she reiterated the film’s message being about change.

It is worth noting that while Sofia’s tweets are many years old, the actress received massive backlash, even after she apologised for the same.

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Karla Sofia Gascon's tweets explored as Zoe Saldana condemns her co-star’s words

Karla Sofia Gascon made to the headlines after several netizens discovered her tweets from 2020 and 2021, where she had spoken in a demeaning manner about various topics like Islam, BTS, George Gloyd, Adele, Oscars and much more.

In a tweet posted by Karla in 2021, she spoke about the diversity of the Oscars and said:

"More and more the #Oscars are looking like a ceremony for independent and protest films, I didn't know if I was watching an Afro-Korean festival, a Black Lives Matter demonstration or the 8M. Apart from that, an ugly, ugly gala.”

She also said offensive things about the murder of George Floyd, as she posted in 2021:

“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.”

However, after the intense backlash, Karla not only deleted her old tweets but also deactivated her X account, as per Complex. The actress also issued an apology to Variety and said:

“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.”

Zoe Saldana and Karla Sofía Gascón came together on screen in Emilia Pérez. The film follows a Mexican cartel leader seeking a new identity through gender-affirming surgery with the help of a lawyer.

Directed by Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on 18 May 2024.