A.I. controversies aside, this awards season was relatively free of drama initially. Well, at least until some tasteless and racist social media posts from “Emilia Pérez,” Best Supporting Actress contender Karla Sofía Gascón, were dug up and went viral. We’ve already heard a full-throated critical clapback from director Jacques Audiard, where he wanted to make it clear he was upset with her bigoted and hateful comments, and Netflix, the studio behind the Oscar contender, is apparently distancing themselves as far away from Gascón as much as they can.
Now, co-star Selena Gomez says she has “no regrets” participating in the Netflix musical while speaking at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (via The Hollywood Reporter) over the weekend and commenting on the backlash.
“I’m really good,” Gomez said this Sunday in Santa Barbara while promoting the pic. “Some of the magic has disappeared, but I choose to continue to be proud of what I’ve done, and I’m just, I’m just grateful and live with no regrets.” Gomez added, “And I would do this movie over and over again if I could.”
This restrained response from Gomez is particularly classy considering one of the alleged old posts being spread around (mixed along racist and xenophobic posts) had Gascón slinging mud toward her “Emilia Pérez” co-star by calling her a “rich rat” while commenting on a tabloid story about her ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber. However, for her part, Gascón has specifically denied she posted that one about Gomez that went viral online.
Co-star and Best Actress nominee Zoe Saldaña also recently commented on the controversy with Variety on their podcast “Awards Circuit” and said, “I’m sad. Time and time again, that’s the word because that is the sentiment that has been living in my chest since everything happened.” Saldaña continued, “I’m also disappointed. I can’t speak for other people’s actions. All I can attest to is my experience, and never in a million years did I ever believe that we would be here.”
Netflix has nixed its awards campaign for Gascón, but this isn’t likely the end of those posts looming over the film’s 13 nominations at the Academy Awards and during red-carpet interviews.
You can watch that exchange with Gomez below, thanks to THR’s video from the event: