Karla Sofía Gascón has said she “contemplated the unthinkable” after her campaign for the Best Actress Oscar was engulfed in scandal.
The Emilia Pérez star made history as the first openly trans individual nominated for an Academy Award in any acting category.
However, her Oscars campaign was derailed when Gascón took aim at the publicity team of a rival film and she faced accusations of racism and Islamophobia when old social media posts resurfaced.
In a new statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Gascón said: “Amid this unexpected, devastating storm, there have been moments when the pain has been so overwhelming that I contemplated the unthinkable. I harbored darker thoughts than those I considered in some of my previous, no less intimate and personal struggles.
“And I asked myself: if I, with all my strength and preparedness to deal with rage and rejection, am on the edge, what would have become of someone with fewer emotional resources to resist this onslaught? Somehow, I made it. Others would not have survived this brutal winter I am about to wrap up.”
She also apologized “to all I have offended at any point in my life and throughout my journey” and promised to continue “to learn and listen so as not to make the same mistakes in the future.”
Gascón went on to address criticism that Emilia Pérez has received from Mexican critics, saying: “My commitment to stand for Mexico, all Mexicans, and for the rights of the most disadvantaged remains strong.
“You will always find me on the opposite side of fanaticism, imposition, patriarchy, fascism, dictatorships, terror, abuse, and irrationality. I do not bind myself to any political flag; I only try to be a human being in constant evolution, with successes and failures, but with an unbreakable will to learn, listen, admit mistakes, apologize, and forgive others as I forgive myself for the unnecessary pain I have caused.”
Referencing Gascón’s scandal, Maher said: “There are people who say cancel culture isn’t a real thing and I would say to them, ‘It just happened at the Oscars.’”
He added: “You may not think it happened but the movie that was going to win it all was Emilia Pérez.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
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