Karla Sofía Gascón takes vow of ‘silence’ in latest apology, will step away from spotlight ‘to let the work talk for itself’
After a week of chaos, Karla Sofía Gascón says she’s finally done talking.
The embattled Emilia Pérez star posted the latest — and if she’s to be believed, last — in string of apologies and statements, promising to go dark for the foreseeable future as the filmmakers and studio Netflix attempt to salvage the crime musical’s Oscar dwindling prospects.
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“I decided, for the film, for Jacques [Audiard, the film’s director], for the cast, for the incredible crew who deserves it, for the beautiful adventure we all had together, to let the work talk for itself, hoping my silence will allow the film to be appreciated for what it is, a beautiful ode to love and difference,” Gascón wrote on Instagram on Thursday. “I sincerely apologize to everyone who has been hurt along the way.”
On Jan. 30, a series of Gascón’s bigoted tweets reemerged, unearthed by a journalist and podcaster. The commentary included offensive remarks about Muslims, George Floyd, and diversity at the Oscars — and put Emilia Pérez and Gascón’s fellow nominees on the defensive.
Earlier this week, Gascon released a more defiant statement on Instagram, claiming to be a victim of “cancel culture” and saying she was ready to “move forward.” Hours later, Audiard spoke out forcefully against Gascón. “I haven’t spoken to her, and I don’t want to,” Audiard told Deadline. “She is in a self-destructive approach that I can’t interfere in, and I really don’t understand why she’s continuing. Why is she harming herself? Why? I don’t understand it, and what I don’t understand about this too is why she’s harming people who were very close to her. I’m thinking in this thing of how hurting others, of how she’s hurting the crew and all these people who worked so incredibly hard on this film. I’m thinking of myself, I’m thinking of [cast mates] Zoe [Salda?a] and Selena [Gomez]. I just don’t understand why she’s continuing to harm us. I’m not getting in touch with her because right now she needs space to reflect and take accountability for her actions.”
Gascón said it was Audiard’s comments that made her finally decide to take a vow of silence.
The fallout from her tweets has been swift. She had been scheduled to fly from Spain to Los Angeles this week to participate in several key awards campaign events ahead of Oscar voting, which begins next week, but those plans were reportedly scuttled by Netflix. A scheduled appearance at Spain’s Goya Awards this weekend was also canceled. And a Spanish publishing house scrapped the release of a biographical book about Gascón.
Netflix has also revamped its Oscar campaign, focusing primarily on Best Supporting Actress contender Zoe Salda?a, who said she was saddened about the Gascón controversy.
“Time and time again, that’s the word because that is the sentiment that has been living in my chest since everything happened,” Salda?a told Variety. “I’m also disappointed. I can’t speak for other people’s actions. All I can attest to is my experience, and never in a million years did I ever believe that we would be here.”
Asked by Variety about Gascón’s suggestion that Salda?a and costar Selena Gomez had stood behind her “200 percent,” Salda?a did not confirm such support. “I do not support any negative rhetoric of racism and bigotry towards any group of people,” she said. “That is what I want to stand for.”
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