The Mexican actress, already rewarded at Cannes, makes Oscar history with her nomination in the “best actress” category.
This is a first in the history of the Oscars. Karla Sofía Gascón, the star of the film Emilia Perez by Jacques Audiard, this Thursday, January 23, became the first trans actress to be in the running for the Oscar for best actress.
Karla Sofía Gascón, 52, who began her gender transition at 46, is the revelation of this film in which she plays the main role, that of a drug trafficker who orchestrates her disappearance to change gender.
Finally free to be herself, the ex-criminal sets up an association to help victims of drug trafficking. She also reconnects with her wife and children, who believe she is dead, by pretending to be a distant relative.
Karla Sofía Gascón is nominated against Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Mikey Madison (Anora), Demi Moore (The Substance) and Fernanda Torres (I’m still here).
-Most nominated non-English film
His appointment is a strong signal against the discrimination against trans people. And this even though Donald Trump said he wanted to “stop the transgender madness” as soon as he arrived at the White House.
Karla Sofía Gascón, who was also rewarded at the 2024 European Film Awards and during the 2025 Lumières, had already received a joint actress award with Selena Gomez, Zoe Saldaña and Adriana Paz at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2024.
The actress then dedicated her prize to “all trans people who suffer”. “I want these people to be able to believe as in Emilia Perez that it is always possible to improve,” she said on stage.
Emilia Perez is now the most nominated non-English language film of all time, with 13 nominations. A record held by Tigers and Dragons (2000) et Roma (2018), with ten nominations each. The 97th Academy Awards will take place on March 2.
