Karla Sofía Gascón, the Oscar-nominated star of “Emilia Perez,” posted a lengthy apology Saturday for years-old tweets bashing Islam and other controversial sentiments which were surfaced by an online journalist, saying “I have much to learn in this world.”
“The first thing I would like to do is offer my sincerest apologies to everyone who may have felt hurt by the way I’ve expressed myself at any point in my life,” Gascón wrote in Spanish. “I have much to learn in this world; my biggest flaw is in my manner of expression. Life has taught me something I never wanted to learn: no matter how clear your message may be, if you don’t use the right words, it can turn into something entirely different.”
Journalist Sarah Hagi uncovered a series of tweets last week from Gascón in which she criticized the reaction to the 2020 murder of George Floyd and supported banning religions that “go against European values.” The tweets appear to be several years old and translated from Spanish.
“I have gone from living a normal life to a life at the top of my profession in just six months, now my responsibility is very great because my voice not only belongs to me but to many people who feel represented and hopeful by or with me,” Gascón continued.
She said she has been changed since she began practicing Nichiren Buddhism and is “not the same person”: “Although I have not committed any crimes I was not perfect either, I am not even perfect now. I just try to learn and be a better person every day,” she wrote.
Gascón is nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress, making her the first openly transgender performer to receive an acting nomination.
