Oscar contender 'Emilia Pérez' wins huge at Césars, with under-fire Karla Sofia Gascón in attendance

PARIS (AP) — Oscar contender “Emilia Pérez” was named the very best French movie of the 12 months on the Césars awards — France’s equal of the Oscars — and under-fire Karla Sofia Gascón, the star of Jacques Audiard’s Mexico-set melodrama, made a uncommon public look.

The musical is without doubt one of the most celebrated movies of the 12 months however has additionally been criticized for its depiction of Mexican tradition and engulfed in controversy due to Gascón’s earlier social media posts disparaging Muslims, George Floyd and variety on the Oscars.

Though Gascón, who was nominated in the very best actress class alongside along with her co-star Zoe Saldaña, didn’t win a César, the evening in Paris was triumphal for “Emilia Pérez,” which swept seven trophies.

Audiard, who beforehand condemned Gascón’s feedback, thanked his “marvelous team” and his feminine actors.

“When I say my team it’s not in the sense of ownership, but a declaration of love,” he mentioned. “The identical goes for the actresses. My darling Zoe, my darling Karla, Adriana (Paz) who shouldn’t be right here, Selena (Gomez) who shouldn’t be right here. I cherished working with you, I really like you.”

Outdated posts from Gascon‘s X account resurfaced in January, some going as far back as 2016, that took aim at Muslims’ gown, language and tradition in her native Spain. She additionally urged that Islam be banned. And fewer than a month after George Floyd, a Black man, was killed by a white Minneapolis police officer in 2020, Gascón provided her evaluation of Floyd — whose demise prompted widespread reckoning with police brutality and racism — as a drug addict who “very few people ever cared” for.

Gascón, who stars because the titular transgender ex-cartel boss in “Emilia Pérez,” has withdrawn from selling the movie, which has 13 Oscar nominations. Audiard has condemned her feedback.

If it manages to steer by means of the backlash and go dwelling the large winner on the Oscars on Sunday, it might hand Netflix its first finest image win. Gascón is the primary overtly trans actor nominated for finest actress and a win could be much more historic, though her probabilities of taking the award dwelling now seem very slim.

Gascón, who has issued an apology for her previous posts, attended the fiftieth anniversary of the Césars ceremony presided over by Catherine Deneuve on the Olympia theater in Paris. She wore a black gown and posed for photographers however didn’t converse to reporters.

Saldaña additionally made the sprint to Paris earlier than she takes to the Oscars carpet as the favourite to take the very best supporting actress Oscar.

In Paris, Gascón and Saldaña have been nominated for the César for finest actress, however it was handed to French actor Hafsia Herzi for her efficiency in “Borgo.” Finest actor went to Karim Leklou for his efficiency in “Le Roman de Jim” (Jim’s Story).

Julia Roberts was additionally in Paris on Friday to obtain an honorary César for her profession achievements. She was known as onto the stage by Clive Owen, with whom she starred in “Closer” and “Duplicity,” and was handled to a standing ovation.