Zoe Saldaña Says the Middle of ‘Emilia Pérez’ Is ‘no longer Mexico’

Following her Absolute best Supporting Actress win on the Oscars on Sunday evening, Zoe Saldaña spoke back to a Mexican reporter announcing Emilia Pérez has been “in reality hurtful for us Mexicans.”

Talking to reporters within the Oscars press room, Saldaña defended the debatable movie, acknowledging, “That was once by no means our goal. We spoke, we got here from a spot of affection, and I will be able to stand by way of that. I don’t percentage your opinion.”

She persisted, “For me, the guts of this film isn’t Mexico. We weren’t making a movie a couple of nation. We have been making a movie [about] girls, and those girls may have been Russian, may have been Dominican, may have been Black from Detroit, may have been from Israel, may have been from Gaza, and those girls are nonetheless very common girls which can be suffering on a daily basis. Like looking to live to tell the tale systemic oppression. And looking for probably the most original voices, so I will be able to stand by way of that.”

Saldaña added that she is “additionally at all times open to take a seat down with all of my Mexican brothers and sisters and with love and admire, having a super dialog on how Emilia may have been executed higher.” “I haven’t any downside with that,” she famous. “I welcome it.”

Emilia Pérez received two awards all the way through the Oscars rite: Saldaña for Absolute best Supporting Actress and Clément Ducol, Camille, and Jacques Audiard for Absolute best Unique Track for “El Mal.” Not one of the winners discussed Mexico or trans other folks of their acceptance speeches. Audiard, the movie’s director, was once introduced a chance to talk out in regards to the trans neighborhood being below assault behind the curtain, however declined.

Within the press room, Rolling Stone requested Audiard, “We’re in an an technology of anti-trans political assaults and there was once no point out this night of the trans neighborhood. Do you want to mention anything else at this level?”

“Since I didn’t win Absolute best Movie or Absolute best Director, I didn’t find a way to talk,” Audiard spoke back, by means of a translator. “However had I had that chance, I’d have spoken up.”

Audiard, a French filmmaker, wrote and directed Emilia Pérez, which earned 13 nominations for the Academy Awards. Audiard shot the movie totally on a soundstage in France relatively that pass to Mexico to create the Mexican-set tale. The film has been hit with controversy within the months since its unlock by way of Netflix, together with complaint of its portrayal of Mexico, celebrity Selena Gomez’s Mexican accessory, and Absolute best Actress nominee Karla Sofía Gascón‘s hateful social media posts.

Oscars host Conan O’Brien took goal at Gascón all the way through his monologue. “Little reality for you: Anora makes use of the f-word 479 occasions,” he joked. “That’s 3 greater than the report set by way of Karla Sofía Gascón’s publicist. ‘She tweeted what!?’”

In spite of the furor over her resurfaced social media posts, Gascón—who’s the first out transgender girl to be nominated for Absolute best Actress on the Oscars—did attend the rite on Sunday. She didn’t stroll the purple carpet or reply to any questions from press.