Ever since the release of Emilia Pérez, the movie has been riddled with controversies. Starting with Karla Sofía Gascón’s offensive tweets, followed by backlash surrounding its representation of trans people, the movie later made headlines for the lack of authentic representation of Mexican culture. But despite all odds, Zoe Saldaña still managed to win the Supporting Actress Oscar.
However, it’s her post-winning comment that left people stunned. During the press conference, as a Mexican reporter brought it to Zoe Saldaña’s notice that the lack of proper representation of Mexican culture felt hurtful, the actress appeared justifying the misrepresentation. This led people to call out Saldaña for using Mexico for profit only to reveal her true face after winning the Oscar.
Zoe Saldaña justified the misrepresentation of Mexican culture in Emilia Pérez
Winning an Oscar is supposed to be a moment of pride, but for Zoe Saldaña, it turned into a massive controversy. While Emilia Pérez was already facing backlash for its misrepresentation of Mexican culture, things escalated when a Mexican reporter confronted Saldaña about the film’s lack of authenticity. That’s when instead of acknowledging her concerns, the actress dismissed them entirely.
Soon, the video went viral on social media, where Zoe Saldaña’s blunt, unapologetic attitude made it clear the actress wasn’t interested in understanding the hurt caused by the film’s portrayal of Mexico. Fans were shocked by her response, wondering if she had been acting supportive all along just to secure the award. Saldaña’s lack of empathetic response after her Oscar win felt like a slap in the face.
The report stated,
A lot of things [have] been said about the movie, about trans people, about empowering women, but less has been said about Mexico, which is the heart of it.
Saldaña’s response,
First of all, I’m very, very sorry that you and so many Mexicans felt offended. That was never our intention. [But] I don’t share your opinion. For me, the heart of this movie was not Mexico. We weren’t making a film about a country. We were making a film about four women.
It’s one thing to be part of a flawed film. It’s another to justify its flaws when people from the community it claims to represent express their disappointment. Instead of engaging in a meaningful conversation and trying to understand the sentiments of the Mexicans who felt offended, the way Zoe Saldaña tried to justify the film’s misrepresentation felt like a cold dismissal.
Zoe Saldaña’s shift in sentiment after Oscar win sparked a barrage of criticism
Now, before the Awards season, Zoe Saldaña seemed all in on celebrating Emilia Pérez as a groundbreaking film. But after she secured the Oscar, it felt like her tune changed fast. Her response to the Mexican reporter wasn’t just indifferent—it almost felt like she didn’t care anymore now that she had the trophy in hand.
This shift in attitude did not sit well with audiences. Social media exploded with criticism, with many calling her out for using Mexican culture to draw attention towards Emilia Pérez without truly respecting the culture. It felt as though Mexico was good enough to help her win an Oscar, but not worthy of genuine recognition.
The backlash was swift and intense. Fans who once admired Zoe Saldaña soon began questioning her integrity. Calling her out for her nonsensical response, people appeared stunned by her shift in sentiment. Claiming that her kind and generous filters came off, right after she won the Oscar, fans expressed frustration over Saldaña’s blatant disregard for the reporter’s valid concerns.
Emilia Pérez is currently available to watch on Netflix.
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