Karla Sofía Gascón shared a powerful message at the 2025 Golden Globes when she and the Emilia Pérez team accepted the Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy award.
After the film's writer/director, French filmmaker Jacques Audiard, said via a translator that he did not have a speech prepared, star and transgender actress Gascón took over the microphone and shared a moving statement, seemingly directed at the trans community.
"I chose these colors—the Buddhist colors—tonight because I have a message for you: The light always wins over darkness," she said, referring to the yellow and orange hues of her Saint Laurent gown.
Gascón continued, "I have a lot of things to say to you because you can maybe put us in jail. You come beat us up, but you can never take away our soul, our existence, our identity."
The Emilia Pérez star then concluded with a message of hope and encouragement: "And I want to say to you, raise your voice…and say, 'I am who I am, not who you want.'"
Gascón made history this year as the first out trans performer nominated in a top film acting category at the Globes. She portrays the titular character in Audiard's controversial musical drama, which follows a Mexican cartel boss's gender transition.
The Spanish actress stars opposite Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, Mark Ivanir, and Édgar Ramírez.
Emilia Peréz—which received a record-breaking 10 total nominations at this year's Globes—earned awards for Best Non-English Movie, Best Original Song, and Best Supporting Actress for Saldaña. Gascón was nominated in the same category as Saldaña, while Gomez was up for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in the film (as well as Best Actress in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy for her work on Only Murders in the Building).
In the Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy category, Emilia Peréz competed against Anora, Challengers, A Real Pain, The Substance, and Wicked.
The movie is currently streaming on Netflix.
