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Starting strong -

From December 2024 to late January 2025, the movie received widespread critical acclaim. It won four Golden Globes, earned 11 BAFTA nominations, and received 13 Academy Award nominations. Only three films in history have garnered more Oscar nominations.

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Pioneer -

Should the film win Best Picture at the March 2 Oscars, it would mark Netflix's first victory in this category. The film's star, Karla Sofía Gascón, is the first openly transgender actress nominated for Best Actress, making a win even more significant.

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The downfall begins -

What started as a promising award season took a turn as the film's chances began to fade. Several factors contributed to this shift, including critics of the film's production, the script, and the portrayal of minorities. 

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It doesn't stop there -

Additionally, the performances of actors who are not native Spanish speakers, the casting of non-professional singers in musical roles, and the lead actor's off-screen behavior all contributed to the backlash. Let’s break this down to see how the events unfolded.

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The plot -

This Netflix film, a Spanish-language French musical crime drama starring Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, and Karla Sofía Gascón, follows Juan "Manitas" Del Monte, a Mexican cartel boss. 

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The plot -

To escape the police and fully transition into Emilia Pérez, Manitas fakes her own death. The film uniquely blends elements of a musical and a Mexican melodrama, with a trans narrative at the core. Its wide-ranging plot was seen by some viewers and film critics as too scattered to hold together. But we'll dive into that later.

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It started in Cannes -

When 'Emilia Pérez' debuted at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival last May, the reception was mixed but generally positive. Written and directed by Jacques Audiard, the French filmmaker behind 'A Prophet' (2009) and 'Rust and Bone' (2012), the film continues his signature focus on stories of transformation.

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Cannes recognition -

The film was lauded for its boldness, a quality that resonated with audiences. The ensemble cast was collectively awarded Best Actress at Cannes, and the film also won the Jury Prize.

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Netflix comes in -

This led to the film getting the attention of Netflix executives, resulting in a reported US$12 million acquisition by the streaming giant, as reported by Variety. While its performance on the platform may not have been spectacular, a strong showing at the Oscars in March could significantly enhance Netflix's reputation.

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All marketing? -

While the film has garnered numerous accolades, some film fans question its true merit, arguing that the competition is stronger and suggesting that Netflix's extensive marketing campaign may be influencing the awards buzz. Pictured: Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos takes a selfie with the main cast during the opening night screening of 'Emilia Pérez' at The American French Film Festival (TAFFF).

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Golden Globes -

Fans were stunned when the film won the Best Musical award over the critically acclaimed 'Wicked' (2024), especially given its widely criticized musical numbers. Both critics and fans have criticized the simplistic lyrics, lack of musical harmony, and off-key singing in 'Emilia Pérez.'

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Becoming an Oscars frontrunner -

While initial award buzz focused on individual performances, 'Emilia Pérez' didn't emerge as a serious Oscar contender until late fall, according to film experts. Netflix's aggressive campaign then propelled the film into an unlikely frontrunner.

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The tide starts to turn -

As it gained momentum in the awards race, the film's audience reception came under scrutiny. While critics were divided, audience scores have been overwhelmingly negative. 

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Audience's have their say -

At the time of writing, the film boasts a dismal audience score of just 17% on Rotten Tomatoes and a mere 2.2 out of 5 stars on Letterboxd, marking the lowest scores for any Best Picture contender in history.

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Shunned by the community -

As 'Emilia Pérez' gained traction in the awards race, scrutiny increased.  GLAAD (the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) omitted the film from its annual awards and the LGBTQ rights alliance declared the movie "a profoundly retrograde portrayal of a trans woman" and "a step backward for trans representation."

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Portrayal of transgender individuals -

While a film with a trans protagonist at the Oscars may seem progressive, especially since no openly trans actor has ever won an Academy Award, critics argue that 'Emilia Pérez' undermines the trans community.

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Portrayal of transgender individuals -

This is partly due to the film's use of harmful tropes, like describing a trans woman as "half male/half female," which perpetuate damaging stereotypes.

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Portrayal of transgender individuals -

Sarah-Tai Black, a non-binary journalist for the Globe and Mail, criticized the film's portrayal of Pérez as overly focused on her medical transition. Black argued that while medical transition is one aspect of a transgender person's journey, it's neither universal nor the most important element.

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Mexican culture -

The film drew sharp criticism for its superficial treatment of a profoundly serious and sensitive issue for Mexicans: the devastating impact of drug cartels, including the disappearances of countless individuals, leaving families without closure. 

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Leaning on stereotypes -

Mexican film critic Ricardo Gallegos Ramos criticized the song 'Papa,' in which Pérez's young son sings about her. He pointed to lyrics like, "You smell like spicy food, spicy spicy. Mezcal and guacamole," as a simplistic, stereotypical portrayal of Mexican culture.

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No research -

The decision by the French director to shoot the film in France, rather than Mexico, added to the controversy. Audiard admitted he "didn’t study [Mexico] much." He said, "What I needed to know, I already knew a little bit." 

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Really sorry? -

However, when confronted at a press conference in Mexico, he backtracked, apologizing: "If it seems I treated it too lightly, I apologize." The director also sparked controversy by telling an interviewer that Spanish is the language of "the poor and migrants."

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Casting choices -

None of the lead actresses are Mexican (only a supporting actress), and two are not native Spanish speakers. Gomez is American with Mexican heritage, Saldaña's parents are Dominican and Puerto Rican, and Gascón is Spanish. 

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Non-native speakers -

Selena Gomez’s performance and Spanish skills have faced heavy criticism. Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez, star of 2021's 'Coda,' called her performance "indefensible" on a Mexican entertainment podcast. Gomez apologized, saying she did the best she could with the time she had, prompting Derbez to later post an online apology.

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Artificial intelligence -

Adding to the controversy, it's been revealed that Gascón's singing voice was enhanced using AI to broaden her vocal range, which could be off-putting to Academy voters.

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The worst was yet to come -

But the biggest backlash came in late January when journalist Sarah Hagi uncovered old posts on X by Gascón disparaging Muslims, George Floyd, and China. After the uproar, Gascón apologized in a statement released by Netflix.

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Social media posts surface -

The posts, dating back to 2016, included calls to ban Islam and claims that George Floyd, a Black man killed by a white Minneapolis police officer in 2020, was a drug addict "whom few ever cared for." She also made a controversial remark about China, stating, "The Chinese vaccine, apart from the mandatory chip, comes with two spring rolls..."

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Apology -

Gascón apologized, stating, "As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain." However, she also suggested that people were trying to "stain her existence" and criticized rival "social media teams... trying to diminish our work."

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Firing at competitors -

Gascón alluded to negativity from within Fernanda Torres's circle, suggesting that people associated with Torres, also a Best Actress nominee and recent Golden Globe winner for her role in 'I'm Still Here,' had been disparaging her and 'Emilia Pérez.' However, Gascón later clarified that she wasn't directly accusing Torres or her team.

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Going live -

Media experts suggest that after facing such criticism, most individuals would try to maintain a low profile. However, Gascón chose a different path. In a 55-minute interview with CNN en Español on February 2, she became visibly emotional, saying she’s been "convicted and sacrificed and crucified and stoned."

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Explaining the tweets -

Gascón confirmed writing a social media post that said, "I really think very few people ever cared about George Floyd, a drug addict swindler," but clarified that she meant "they're all wrong."

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Denying the Selena tweet -

In the same interview, she denied writing another post in which she was accused of calling her co-star Selena Gomez "a rich rat who plays the poor [expletive] and will never stop bothering her ex-boyfriend [Justin Bieber] and his wife [Hailey Bieber]."

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Failed attempt -

Gascón reportedly tried to justify herself by saying, "If I were a racist, I wouldn't be working with Zoe Saldaña," in a tone-deaf statement. Public reaction included fans pointing out that "Only an emotionally stunted racist would think having one Black cast member absolves her own personal views."

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Cast and crew react -

Although Gascón claimed in the CNN interview that her co-stars "had her back 200%," her past posts and current media statements were too much. Zoe Saldaña distanced herself, saying Gascón’s posts "saddened" her. Saldaña added, "I do not support any negative rhetoric of racism and bigotry towards any group of people. That is what I want to stand for."

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Cast and crew react -

Similarly, director Jacques Audiard publicly disavowed Gascón, saying in a February 5 interview that he hadn’t spoken to her and didn’t want to. 

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Cast and crew react -

He explained, "When you have that kind of relationship and suddenly read something hateful that person has said, of course it affects the relationship. It's as if you fall into a hole. Because what Karla Sofía said is inexcusable."

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Netflix's reaction -

Netflix has reportedly removed the film’s star from campaign materials, stopped funding Gascón's attendance at events and ceremonies, and cut direct contact with her.

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Going silent -

The film's lead has since deleted her X account and vowed to remain silent, letting the work speak for itself. In her latest Instagram statement, Gascón said, "Following Jacques' interview, I decided, for the film, for Jacques, for the cast, and the incredible crew, to let the work speak for itself."

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Another apology -

She reiterated her regret for her original tweets, expressing she wanted to "sincerely apologize to everyone who has been hurt along the way."

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What happens next? -

The extent of the damage to the film's Oscar prospects remains uncertain. While Gascón was considered a long shot against frontrunner Demi Moore ('The Substance'), pundits believe the controversy could negatively impact the film's overall success, particularly given its existing challenges.

Sources: (Variety) (The Guardian) (Business Insider) (The Independent) (Vulture)

See also: The most memorable moments in Oscars history

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