Zoe Saldaña swore during her acceptance speech at the Baftas after she won Best Supporting Actress for her role in the controversial Netflix musical, Emilia Pérez.
The Spanish language film, about a Mexican drug lord who undergoes a sex change operation, has proved to be a divisive film among viewers and critics, despite proving popular with voters, having already set a record at the Oscars.
The film stars Saldaña as a lawyer who helps a Mexican drug lord undergo a sex change operation. Jacques Audiard’s audacious film also stars Selena Gomez and Karla Sofia Gascón.
After winning the Bafta for Best Supporting Actress, a tearful Saldaña said, “I was told not to cry by my children, so I’ll try. This is so validating and a true honour, because the very few times that I went for a part with a British accent or dialect coach, I was like, ‘This is not going to happen to you.’ Even though I have a lot of British friends, I find myself repeating all their phrases, and I know that I’m a pain in the a***.”
She continued, “Bafta thank you, this was a creative challenge of a lifetime. How do you begin to even approach a film that not just defies categorisation, and you start by taking the leap with Jacques Audiard. I want to thank my wonderful cast… Films are supposed to change hearts and challenge minds and i hope i did something like this. voices need to be heard, just not my English accent.”
Saldaña added: “I’m dedicating all of these awards and the film Emilia Pérez to my nephew, Eli. He is the reason - they are the reason - I signed up to do this film in the first place,” she said. “So as the proud aunt of a trans life, I will always stand with my community of trans people.”
Saldaña then read out a huge list of thank you but began being counted down, leading her to say: “Oh my god I'm getting a countdown. F*** f*** f***!"
Earlier in the night, Emilia Pérez claimed the award for Best Film Not in the English Language. In his speech, director Jacques Audiard paid special tribute to Gascón
He said: “Above all, I would like to thank all the wonderful artists who brought this film to life and who are here with us tonight,” he said, speaking through an interpreter. “My dear Zoe, my dear Selena, Giorgini, Paul, Juliet, Camille, Clement, Julia and your team, but also you, my dear Karla Sofia, that I kiss. I’m deeply proud of what we achieved together. Long live ‘Emilia Pérez’!”
