Karla Sofía Gascón Makes Oscar History: First Openly Trans Actress Nominated for ‘Emilia Pérez’

Ahead of the 2025 Oscars, Karla Sofía Gascón became the first openly transgender actor to receive an acting award nomination. In addition to Cynthia Erivo (‘Wicked’), Mikey Madison (‘Anora’), Demi Moore (‘The Substance’), and Fernanda Torres (‘I’m Still Here’), Gascón, who starred in Emilia Pérez, received a nomination for Best Actress.

This awards season, the 52-year-old Spanish actress has received a lot of attention. She was the first openly transgender woman to receive a 2025 Golden Globe nomination for a film category prior to her Oscar nomination. She also shared the 2024 Cannes Film Festival’s Best Actress award with co-stars Adriana Paz, Selena Gomez, and Zoe Saldaña in May. Additionally, Gascón is a candidate for the BAFTA Awards and the Critics Choice Awards.

Image Courtesy: Getty Images

The story of Rita, a powerful lawyer played by Saldaña, is told by ‘Emilia Pérez’, who has been nominated for multiple Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director (Jacques Audiard), Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldaña), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best International Feature. In order to transition into a new life as a woman, Rita is hired by Gascón, who plays a Mexican cartel lord, to stage their death and have gender-affirming surgery. Gomez, Paz, and Édgar Ramírez are all featured in the musical.

‘Emilia Pérez’, who is currently available on OTT has received recognition for her innovative blending of comedy, drama, and action aspects, challenging conventional genre boundaries. In a November 2024 interview with Tudum, Gascón called the movie a gift and said he was honoured to be a part of such an innovative endeavour. The movie defeated ‘Anora’, ‘Challengers’, ‘A Real Pain’, ‘The Substance’, and ‘Wicked’ to win Best Motion Picture: Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globes earlier this year.

Conan O’Brien will host the 2025 Oscars, which will be broadcast live on ABC and Hulu on 2nd March at the Dolby Theatre in Ovation Hollywood.

–Farheen Ali 

loader