Watch: Karla Sofía Gascón Defends Those Racist Tweets in a Chaotic CNN Interview

Karla Sofía Gascón, the Emilia Pérez star and 2025 Best Actress Oscar nominee, is at the center of the awards season’s biggest scandal. 

After journalist Sarah Hagi unearthed a series of offensive tweets from Gascón’s past, the actress has been embroiled in a storm of controversy, issuing a mix of apologies and defenses that have only fueled the fire.

The scandal began when Hagi resurfaced tweets from Gascón, mostly dating between 2019 and 2024, which included racist and anti-Islam sentiments.

Among the most shocking was a tweet referencing George Floyd, the Black man whose murder by police officer Derek Chauvin in 2020 sparked global protests against racial injustice.

In an hour-long interview with CNN en Español, which she reportedly arranged independently without her film team’s involvement, Gascón broke down in tears multiple times as she attempted to justify her past statements.

Addressing the George Floyd tweet, she said, “He was a person who had been in a very difficult situation in his life and no one had helped him, and suddenly he becomes a symbol of a cause and everyone loved him.” She added, “But for someone to think that…I have ever insulted a person because of their skin color, I do not allow that to anyone, to anyone.”

Gascón also defended tweets expressing anti-Islam sentiments, including one calling for a ban on the religion. She clarified that her comments were directed at “radical Islam” and cited her close relationship with a Muslim woman, stating, “whom I adore, whom I love and who has taught me so much about respect for people.”

This interview followed a series of statements Gascón released on social media. In her initial apology, she deleted her Twitter account and suggested the resurfaced tweets were part of a coordinated campaign to damage her Oscar chances.

In a subsequent Instagram post, she insisted, “They have already won, they have achieved their objective, to stain my existence with lies or things taken out of context.” 

She also claimed, “They have created posts as if it were me insulting even my colleagues,” seemingly referring to an alleged tweet where she called her Emilia Pérez co-star Selena Gomez a “rich rat.”

When asked during the CNN interview if she would renounce her Oscar nomination in light of the controversy, Gascón firmly refused. “I cannot renounce a nomination because what I have done is a job and what is being valued is my acting work,” she stated. 

“And I cannot renounce a nomination either because I have not committed any crime nor have I harmed anyone, I am not a racist, nor am I anything that all these people have taken it upon themselves to try to make others believe that I am.”

Despite her emotional appeals, Gascón’s attempts to defend herself have been met with skepticism. Her mix of apologies and justifications has only deepened the controversy, leaving many to question her sincerity and the impact of her past statements.

As the Oscars approach, the scandal continues to overshadow Gascón’s acclaimed performance in Emilia Pérez, raising questions about accountability and the consequences of past actions in the age of social media.