Despite her absence from the 2025 BAFTA Awards, Karla Sofía Gascón’s film  Emilia Pérez remained a major talking point at the prestigious event. 

The Netflix musical thriller, which had secured an impressive 11 nominations, ultimately walked away with two awards.

However, the film’s success was somewhat overshadowed by controversy,

including past comments made by Gascón and a particularly expletive-laden acceptance speech from co-star Zoe Saldaña.

Emilia Pérez Triumphs at the BAFTAs

The competition at this year’s BAFTAs was fierce, with Emilia Pérez up against high-profile films such as Wicked, Dune: Part Two, The Brutalist, Anora, and A Complete Unknown.

Ultimately, the film took home the award for Best Film Not in the English Language, while Zoe Saldaña won Best Supporting Actress for her role in the project.

 French director Jacques Audiard, the mastermind behind Emilia Pérez, accepted the award for Best Film Not in the English Language, expressing his gratitude to the cast and crew.

“I am touched,” he said, dedicating the win to everyone who contributed to the film’s success. He also acknowledged fellow nominees, including the teams behind Ireland’s Kneecap and Brazil’s I’m Not There.

Saldaña, who had previously won the same award at the Golden Globes, was also emotional about her win. “This was a creative challenge of a lifetime,” she said in her acceptance speech.

“How do you begin to even approach a film that defies categorization? You start by taking the lead of [director] Jacques Audiard.”

Zoe Saldaña’s NSFW Speech Steals the Spotlight

While Emilia Pérez had a night of celebration, it was Saldaña’s acceptance speech that ended up making headlines. As she was being signaled to wrap up her speech, she shouted a string of expletives, repeatedly saying, “Fk, fk, f**k!” before being pulled off camera.

Despite the outburst, Saldaña later reflected on the impact of the film, stating that she hoped Emilia Pérez “changed hearts and challenged minds.” She also spoke about how the project resonated with her personally, describing it as a film that “breaks conventional norms” and allows stories to “live freely” outside of traditional cinematic structures.

Gascón’s Absence Amid Controversy

Although Emilia Pérez had a strong presence at the BAFTAs, its lead actress, Karla Sofía Gascón, was noticeably absent.

Gascón, 52, recently made history as the first out trans person to be nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Actress category.

However, what should have been a groundbreaking moment was soon clouded by controversy.

Past comments made by Gascón resurfaced, leading to significant backlash. Reports indicate that she made controversial statements on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in 2022, touching on topics such as Islam, the death of George Floyd, Oscar diversity, and even her co-star, Selena Gomez. As a result, she has faced intense scrutiny, prompting her to skip the BAFTA ceremony entirely.

Despite Gascón’s absence, Audiard made sure to acknowledge her contributions, referring to her as “dear Karla” while accepting the award. The director also expressed admiration for his cast, including Saldaña and Gomez, who were in attendance.

A Film That Sparks Discussion

Emilia Pérez has been a major topic of discussion this awards season, both for its artistic achievements and the controversies surrounding it. The film’s BAFTA wins solidify its place as a standout production, but Gascón’s past remarks continue to generate debate.

With the Academy Awards approaching, where Gascón is nominated for Best Actress, it remains to be seen how this controversy will impact her standing in the industry.

Meanwhile, Saldaña’s candid speech and the film’s recognition at the BAFTAs ensure that  Emilia Pérez will remain in the spotlight for the foreseeable future.