Selena Gomez admits some of the magic surrounding the Oscar-nominated film Emilia Pérez has "disappeared" in the wake of co-star Karla Sofia Gascón's tweets. Gascón, the first openly transgender actor nominated in an acting category, has been accused of denigrating Islam, attacking the Black Lives Matter movement, criticizing the Oscars, and bashing Gomez herself. "But I choose to continue to be proud of what I've done, and I'm just grateful," Gomez told an audience at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Sunday, per USA Today. "I live with no regrets, and I would do this movie over and over again if I could."
Gomez, a winner of the film festival's Virtuoso Award, assured the audience she was "really good," though she admitted her experience had been tainted. Gascón has insisted she is "not a racist," and that several posts were "taken out of context" or manufactured "lies." She also claimed Gomez and fellow co-star Zoe Saldana support her "200%," per BuzzFeed. However, Saldana recently stated the controversy "makes me really sad because ... I don't have any tolerance for any negative rhetoric towards people of any group."
Last week, Emilia Pérez director, Jacques Audiard, accused Gascón of "playing the victim" and continuing to harm himself, Gomez, and Saldana. "[When] suddenly you read something that that person has said, things that are absolutely hateful and worthy of being hated, of course, that relationship is affected," he told Deadline, adding, "I haven't spoken to her and don't want to." Following those comments, Gascón said she would "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," per the Hollywood Reporter. Netflix has said it will not fund her attendance at any events related to the film, including future award shows, per BuzzFeed. (More Selena Gomez stories.)
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