Carla Sofia Gascón’s performance in Jacques Audiard’s unique Spanish-language musical Emilia Pérez has generated buzz since the film premiered at Cannes 2024. She won the festival’s coveted Best Actress award alongside co-stars Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez and is already in talks to be nominated for an Oscar next year.
If this prediction proves true, Gascón will make history by becoming the first trans actress to receive an Oscar nomination. On Sunday, September 22, the actress attended the San Sebastian Film Festival in her native Spain and shared her reaction to the possibility.
She told The Hollywood Reporter, “You can do whatever you want to win (an Oscar), if you don’t win it, you won’t win it.” It turns out that the actress is a big believer in fate and if winning or being nominated for an Oscar is destined to happen in her life, it will happen. In the meantime, she can only focus on her current work and continue improving.
Furthermore, she wants to be awarded not because it would be noteworthy for the Academy, but simply because of her performance. “Sometimes, some people think they gave you an award because you are from a particular community, and not for your role, which bothers me,” she said. Gascón wants to make sure that her performance speaks for itself. “I’m not trying to be false modesty here or anything like that, but I played a role that very few people could have done,” she said.
She has no intention of disregarding her heritage or native people “but the only thing I can really do is act. I want the important people to be there too.” Gascón spoke of her “appreciation of France” and Audiard’s willingness to submit the idea for the Spanish film Oscar. “The French, they love their language. They are their own people. For a French director and a French crew to make a film like this I think is a wonderful thing,” the actress said.
Emilia Perez premieres on Netflix on November 13.
