Karla Sofía Gascón gracefully expressed her gratitude to the Academy and extended heartfelt congratulations to the evening's Oscar winners in a poignant post-ceremony message on Monday, effectively drawing a curtain on a chapter of her public relations crisis that had unfolded over a month ago, sparked by a resurgence of racially insensitive social media posts from her past.
"I extend my deepest thanks to the esteemed members of the Academy for nominating me for Best Actress and for inviting me to this prestigious ceremony," Gascón penned in Spanish on Instagram, as translated by The Hollywood Reporter. "It was an exhilarating experience, filled with joy and mirth, particularly the magnificent hosting by Jimmy Kimmel—he truly is phenomenal and, with each passing day, increasingly resembles the great Conan O’Brien."
She further shared her delight in "embracing so many cherished friends and colleagues during this triumphant return."
As the leading lady of Emilia Pérez and the first openly transgender woman ever nominated in her category, Gascón embarked on the Oscars journey as a formidable contender for Best Actress. However, her campaign's momentum swiftly waned when several of her racially charged tweets from the past came to light in February.
In the wake of the controversy, Gascón maintained a discreet profile, opting out of the SAG Awards the previous weekend and foregoing the Oscars red carpet on Sunday. During the Cesar Awards in France last Friday, she conveyed to The Hollywood Reporter her "heartfelt gratitude for being back" and "thanked everyone who has believed in me—Netflix, the production company, and my fellow actors. Together, we can now close this beautiful yet arduous journey that began three years ago."
At the Oscars, Gascón bypassed the red carpet but was seen laughing along in the audience when host Conan O’Brien joked, "Karla, if you do tweet about the Oscars, remember: My name is Jimmy Kimmel." Her Monday post hinted that she had adhered to his playful advice.
Gascón's message concluded with warm congratulations to all the winners, especially celebrating Zoe Saldaña for her triumph in Emilia Pérez and honoring songwriters Clément Ducol and Camille for their Oscar-winning song "El Mal."
