Zoe Saldaña Apologizes for Offending ‘Many Mexicans’ With ‘Emilia Pérez’ After Oscar Win

Zoe Saldaña addressed part of the controversy surrounding her Oscar-winning movie “Emilia Pérez” on Sunday night after winning Best Supporting Actress by apologizing to Mexican people who felt offended by the French film while still ultimately defending the Netflix musical.

“First of all, I’m very, very sorry that many Mexicans felt offended. That was never our intention. We spoke from a place of love. I don’t share your opinion,” she told press at the 97th Academy Awards. “For me, the heart of this movie was not Mexico. We were making a film about friendship. We were making a film about four women. These women could have been Russian, could have been Dominican, could have been Black from Detroit, could have been from Israel, could have been from Gaza.

“These women are still very universal women that are struggling every day, but trying to survive systemic oppression and trying to find the most authentic voices,” Saldaña continued. “So I will stand by that, but I’m also always open to sit down with all of my Mexican brothers and sisters, with love and respect, have a great conversation on how ‘Emilia Pérez’ could have been done better. I welcome it.”

Earlier in the night, Oscars host Conan O’Brien acknowledged the more outright scandal associated with Jacques Audiard’s movie when he joked about Best Actress nominee Karla Sofía Gascón, who was in attendance despite skipping a large portion of awards season due to her past racist tweets resurfacing.

“’Anora’ uses the f-word 479 times. That’s more than the record set by Karla Sofía Gascón’s publicist,” he joked. For her part, Gascón appeared to take the joke well as the audience audibly gasped.

During her acceptance speech earlier in the ceremony, Saldaña praised her family and heritage, saying, “I am a proud child of immigrant parents with dreams and dignity and hardworking hands, and I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award and I know I will not be the last.”

“The fact that I’m getting an award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish… my grandmother, if she were here, she would be so delighted,” she added. “This is for my grandmother.”

For a full list of winners, click here.

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