Karla Sofía Gascón, the actress known for her role in “Emilia Pérez,” 

recently faced intense backlash after old social media posts resurfaced, sparking controversy.

The posts, which included comments about George Floyd and Islam, led to widespread criticism and significantly impacted her public image.

Despite offering multiple apologies and deactivating her X (formerly Twitter) account, Gascón was largely excluded from Netflix’s Oscar campaign.

However, she later reappeared at the Academy Awards as a nominee.

Now that awards season has concluded, Gascón has spoken out about the personal toll of the controversy.

Inspired by her daughter and future generations, she has expressed a desire to engage in an open and honest discussion about mental health. Reflecting on her experiences, she acknowledged struggling with “dark moments” that led her to difficult emotional places.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gascón described how the backlash quickly escalated, with fake accounts being created in her name, further amplifying the controversy. “Absurd and even delirious accusations were thrown at me, which deeply hurt my spirit,” she revealed. “Things escalated to a point, and so quickly, that I couldn’t even breathe.”

The intense scrutiny took a significant toll on her mental well-being. Gascón admitted that the pain was at times overwhelming, leading her to contemplate dark thoughts. “Amid this unexpected, devastating storm, there have been moments when the pain has been so overwhelming that I contemplated the unthinkable,” she shared. She further questioned how individuals with fewer emotional resources might handle such public condemnation, recognizing that many might not have been able to endure it.

Despite the emotional turmoil, Gascón has since found some peace, stating that the worst has passed. She reflected on the experience as a learning opportunity, acknowledging the dangers of hatred and retaliation. “I’ve learned that hatred, like fire, cannot be put down with more hatred,” she said. “Offenses cannot be erased with more offenses, and mistakes cannot clean up other mistakes, especially when lies and falseness proliferate all around and when all they send back to me is pure rage, blatant bullying, vexation, scorn and even death threats.”

The controversy stemmed from several posts Gascón made in 2020. One of the resurfaced tweets criticized Islam, arguing that religions contradicting European values and human rights should be banned. Another post, made shortly after the death of George Floyd, dismissed the significance of his killing, referring to him as a “drug addict swindler” and suggesting that both police officers and those protesting racial injustice were misguided. She also faced backlash for comments made in 2021 about the Oscars, where she criticized the increasing representation of independent and protest films, making disparaging remarks about the ceremony’s focus on diversity.

Acknowledging her past mistakes, Gascón has stated that she is committed to personal growth. “Fortunately, I have kept my one inch of sanity to see the light at the end of this tunnel of hate and understand that I must be and do better, and correct my past faults, without engaging in more darkness,” she expressed. She recognized that responding to hate with more negativity would only lead to further personal loss and prevent her from moving forward.

Her journey through the backlash and public criticism has highlighted the complex nature of accountability, personal growth, and mental health in the age of social media. While the controversy surrounding her old posts remains a defining chapter in her career, Gascón appears determined to focus on the future and use her experiences to advocate for open discussions on emotional resilience and personal responsibility.

Despite the personal struggles she has endured, Gascón remains a prominent figure in the film industry. “Emilia Pérez,” the Netflix film in which she starred, received 13 Oscar nominations and won two awards, including Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldana and Best Song for “El Mal.” As she moves past this difficult period, Gascón aims to continue her career while striving to learn from her past and foster a more thoughtful and inclusive discourse on controversial issues.