Gayety

Tag: Jacques Audiard

  • Should Jacques Audiard Face Backlash for Not Speaking on Trans Issues at the Oscars Despite ‘Emilia Pérez’ Trans-Centered Plot?

    Should Jacques Audiard Face Backlash for Not Speaking on Trans Issues at the Oscars Despite ‘Emilia Pérez’ Trans-Centered Plot?

    Director Jacques Audiard has sparked controversy following his acceptance of an Oscar for Emilia Pérez, after claiming he didn’t speak about trans issues during his speech because he “didn’t win” Best Director or Best Film. The remark has drawn sharp criticism, with many questioning his commitment to the film’s central message about the transgender community.

    On Sunday, March 2, Audiard and the Emilia Pérez team took to the stage at the 97th Academy Awards to accept the Oscar for Best Original Song for the film. While his collaborators, Clément Ducol and Camille, took the opportunity to speak, Audiard remained mostly silent during the ceremony. When he was later approached by reporters in the press room, Audiard explained that he had refrained from addressing the transgender community during his acceptance speech, stating, “Since I didn’t win Best Film or Best Director, I didn’t have the opportunity to speak. But had I had that opportunity, I would have spoken up,” before laughing and stepping away from the microphone.

    This response has left many disappointed, especially given the film’s plot, which centers on a transgender Mexican cartel leader, Emilia Pérez. The film touches on themes of gender identity, transition, and the challenges faced by transgender individuals, making the absence of any mention of trans rights at the Oscars especially glaring.

    Emilia Pérez, a Spanish-language French musical, has already been a subject of controversy since its release. The movie tells the story of Emilia, played by Karla Sofía Gascón, who transitions with the help of a lawyer and ultimately becomes a powerful cartel leader. While the film has received critical acclaim in some circles, it has also faced backlash for its portrayal of trans issues and for what many consider an insensitive treatment of Mexican culture. Audiard’s admission that he didn’t do thorough research into Mexico before making the film only added fuel to the fire.

    One particularly controversial aspect of the film was a musical scene where Zoe Saldaña’s character, Rita, sings about gender-affirming surgery. The moment, considered tone-deaf by many, quickly went viral on social media, furthering criticisms of the film’s handling of sensitive topics.

    Moreover, Gascón, the film’s lead actress and the first openly transgender person nominated for an Oscar, faced her own scandal. In recent weeks, it was revealed that Gascón had posted a series of problematic tweets between 2020 and 2023, including anti-Muslim sentiments, controversial remarks about the Oscars’ diversity efforts, and offensive comments regarding George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement. This controversy ultimately tarnished her chances of winning the Best Actress award, despite her being seen as a favorite in the category.

    Despite these setbacks, Emilia Pérez took home two major Oscars at the ceremony: Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldaña and Best Original Song. However, many observers were disappointed by the lack of acknowledgment for the transgender community during the speeches, especially considering the film’s thematic focus on trans issues.

    The silence on trans rights was felt particularly acutely when Audiard, Ducol, and Camille accepted the award for Best Original Song. While the collaborators expressed gratitude, none mentioned the trans community, despite the fact that Emilia Pérez centers on the experiences of a transgender character. Audiard’s explanation in the press room, that he didn’t win and thus didn’t have the chance to speak, seemed to ignore the opportunity he had just been given to address the ongoing struggles of the trans community, particularly in light of the escalating attacks on transgender rights in various parts of the world.

    Social media users were quick to react to Audiard’s comment. One user pointed out, “Yeah, that’s not what you do when you actually care.” Another tweet expressed frustration: “Oh right, because trans rights are only important enough to speak on when you win an award. Literally get fucked.”

    Others were equally vocal in their disappointment: “Emilia Pérez walked away with two Oscars, a new meme, and literally no mention of trans lives.” Another observed, “None of the Emilia Pérez winners or team mentioned the trans community at the Oscars, which is wild.”

    In stark contrast, the team behind Anora, a film about a young sex worker from Brooklyn, won widespread praise for repeatedly acknowledging the sex worker community during their acceptance speeches. The independent movie about the challenges of a young woman marrying the son of an oligarch earned several major wins, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Actress. Throughout the night, the filmmakers and actors of Anora made a point of highlighting marginalized communities, which resonated strongly with audiences.

    The lack of a statement on trans rights by the Emilia Pérez team, especially given the film’s premise, has left many to question whether the filmmakers were truly committed to the causes they claimed to represent. Critics argue that Audiard’s dismissal of the opportunity to speak on such a crucial issue only underscores the film’s superficial engagement with transgender issues.

    The Oscars, as one of the most-watched events in the entertainment industry, often serve as a platform for filmmakers to make a statement about social and political issues. The absence of such a statement from Audiard and the Emilia Pérez team has sparked frustration among those who had hoped the film’s success would be an opportunity to amplify the voices of the trans community, particularly during a time when transgender rights are under increasing attack in many parts of the world.

    As the conversation around Emilia Pérez continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how the film will be remembered. While it certainly made an impact at the Academy Awards, the controversy surrounding its portrayal of trans issues and the filmmakers’ failure to use their platform to speak up for the trans community could overshadow its Oscar wins.

    For now, Audiard’s silence on trans rights at the Oscars remains a point of contention, with many questioning whether the director truly understands the weight of the story he helped bring to the big screen.

  • Karla Sofia Gascón to Attend Oscars Amid Controversy

    Karla Sofia Gascón to Attend Oscars Amid Controversy

    Karla Sofia Gascón, the first openly trans actor nominated for an Oscar, is set to attend the 95th Academy Awards on March 2 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Sources confirm that Netflix will cover the costs for Gascón, who is nominated for Best Actress for her performance in the Spanish-language musical Emilia Pérez.

    While details of her attendance are still being finalized, it remains unclear whether Gascón will walk the red carpet, participate in interviews, or sit with her co-stars Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, and director Jacques Audiard.

    Ahead of the Oscars, Gascón is also scheduled to attend the César Awards in Paris on February 28.

    The 2023 awards season for Gascón, however, has been clouded by controversy. The actress came under intense scrutiny after social media posts on X (formerly Twitter) surfaced, in which she made inflammatory comments about Muslims, George Floyd, and diversity at the Oscars. In response to the backlash, Gascón skipped several major award events, including the Critics Choice Awards, the BAFTA Film Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, despite being nominated at each.

    In the aftermath, Gascón issued an apology, acknowledging the harm caused by her past social media activity. “I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt,” she said in a statement to Variety. “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.”

    On February 1, Gascón participated in a nearly hour-long interview with CNN en Español, where she stated that she would no longer comment publicly on the controversy.

    Gascón’s Oscar nomination is a historic achievement, making her the first openly trans actor to be recognized in the Best Actress category. She previously made history as the first transgender woman to win the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival, a recognition she shared with Saldaña, Gomez, and Adriana Paz. Gascón was also the first trans woman nominated for acting at the Golden Globes. She is represented by UTA.

  • Jacques Audiard Says He’s Had No Contact with Karla Sofía Gascón Since Her Apology, Calls Her Behavior ‘Self-Destructive’

    Jacques Audiard Says He’s Had No Contact with Karla Sofía Gascón Since Her Apology, Calls Her Behavior ‘Self-Destructive’

    Director Jacques Audiard has broken his silence regarding the ongoing controversy surrounding Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón, whose Oscar campaign has been marred by the resurfacing of racist and controversial tweets. The director, in a recent interview with Deadline, expressed his disappointment in Gascón’s behavior and distanced himself from the actress, stating that he does not understand why she continues to make decisions that could harm herself and those around her.

    “I haven’t spoken to her, and I don’t want to,” Audiard said, emphasizing that he does not feel the need to engage with Gascón, whom he described as being in a “self-destructive” state. He further questioned her motives, saying, “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.”

    The controversy stems from Gascón’s social media posts from 2020 and 2021, which sparked outrage when they resurfaced in late January. The posts, which addressed sensitive topics such as George Floyd’s death, Muslims, and the COVID-19 pandemic, were widely condemned and led to a significant backlash. Gascón’s actions subsequently undermined her Oscar campaign for Best Actress, and have also impacted Emilia Pérez as a whole. Actress Zoe Saldaña, a frontrunner for Best Supporting Actress, publicly disavowed Gascón’s remarks, and Netflix reportedly distanced itself from the actress, removing her image from promotional materials and not inviting her to upcoming award season events.

    Despite the growing fallout, Gascón has continued to defend herself publicly and deactivated accounts online. In an effort to address the damage caused by her statements, she appeared in an interview with CNN in Spanish and posted a lengthy statement on Instagram, asserting that she is not racist. However, Audiard expressed frustration with Gascón’s approach, particularly her victim-blaming rhetoric.

    “She’s really playing the victim,” Audiard said. “She’s talking about herself as a victim, which is surprising. It’s as if she thought that words don’t hurt.” He expressed disbelief at her attempts to downplay the gravity of her actions.

    In her initial statement following the controversy, Gascón acknowledged the hurt caused by her past posts. “As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well, and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain,” she said. “All my life I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness.”

    While Gascón’s scandal has stolen much of the attention surrounding Emilia Pérez, the film itself has faced its own criticisms. Some members of the Latino community have expressed dissatisfaction with the portrayal of Mexican culture in the film, prompting Audiard to respond. The director defended his creative vision, explaining that Emilia Pérez was intended as an opera rather than a realistic depiction of Mexico. “It seems I’m being attacked in the court of realism. Well, I’ve never claimed that I wanted to make a realistic work,” Audiard said. “If I wanted to make a work that was particularly documented, then I would do a documentary, but then there would be no singing and dancing.”

    Audiard further addressed a review that criticized the film for including photocopiers in night markets, a claim he dismissed as misguided. “In night markets in Mexico City, one also doesn’t sing and dance,” he noted. “You have to accept that is part of the magic here. This is an opera, not a criticism of anything about Mexico.”

    Emilia Pérez has certainly faced its share of hurdles, but Audiard is steadfast in his commitment to the project. The film’s unique blend of opera, musicality, and emotional depth, according to the director, is central to the story he is telling—one that is not bound by the constraints of realism.

    As the controversy continues to unfold, it remains unclear what the future holds for both Emilia Pérez and Gascón’s career. While Audiard has made it clear that he no longer wishes to engage with Gascón, the actress continues to address the fallout from her past statements. Whether the film and its stars can overcome the ongoing scrutiny is yet to be seen, but Audiard remains focused on his artistic vision, confident that his work will be judged on its own terms rather than the controversy surrounding Gascón.