by Triston Brewer
Karla Sofía Gascón not only deserves to win Best Actress this year for a phenomenal performance, but in a year when messaging is of extreme importance, it couldn’t come at a more perfect moment.
Gascón is the first openly trans person to be nominated for an acting Oscar, and the captivating portrayal is likely to catapult her into the history books and create a seismic upheaval in the current zeitgeist as Donald Trump attempts to clamp down on DEI, gender roles, affirmative action, and a host of other issues that seek to indirectly and directly elevate the status of the mediocre white men that support him with no reservations.
Why Emilia Pérez’s Historic Oscar Nomination is a Lightning Rod for Debate
Over the last year, Emilia Pérez has blazed a path that has been impossible to ignore as the awards season has ramped up. Now with 13 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldaña, and a historic Best Actress nod for Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez has solidified itself as one of the most talked-about films of the season. But as the historic movie continues to make its way into the mainstream and move beyond its cinematic achievements, it is also sparking spirited debates, particularly surrounding Gascón’s nomination as the first openly transgender performer vying for the top acting prize.
A Bold Shift in Representation
In the past, narratives surrounding trans people in mainstream Hollywood have veered towards trauma, and often played out by cis-gender actors, and viewed through a limited lens of suffering. Both The Danish Girl and Dallas Buyers Club were darlings of critics and received a slew of accolades, but their portrayal of trans experiences faced a backlash at the time for being both exploitative and not ringing true. In contrast, Emilia Pérez dares to present a story that is altogether revolutionary: a trans woman playing a trans character in a story where her gender identity is not the central conflict.
Gascón’s Emilia is guided not by her struggle with her gender, but the confines of humanity – her mistakes, her path towards redemption, and her seemingly impossible mission to reconnect with her loved ones. Her gender is of course there and is not ignored, but the film makes a concerted effort to tell the story in a new light and in a way rarely seen on the silver screen. As Gascón herself so eloquently stated: “The film isn’t about her becoming a woman. It’s about the consequences of her past life and her attempt to make amends.”
Why the Film is Controversial
Despite the fans Emilia Pérez has won over during the past year, it has also had its share of detractors. Some argue that Emilia’s transition and the scheme to avoid accountability reinforces harmful stereotypes. Gascón, who worked in tandem with director Jacques Audiard to bring the character to life, stresses that Emilia’s identity as a woman is authentic, but the motivations behind the decision have divided audiences.
The story begins with viewers first seeing Emilia as a man – the leader of a drug cartel who decides to transition into a woman in order to thwart the law and later redeem herself. Those that consider the Academy Awards a great platform to bring underrepresented voices and actors to the forefront, Emilia Pérez stands as a seminal achievement. For others, it stands as a lightning rod for debate about how trans stories should be told.
If Not Now, When?

With the current administration clamping down on diversity and representation across the board, Emilia Pérez and Gascón as the lead is undoubtedly a pivotal moment where the timing couldn’t be more perfect while simultaneously perilous. Her nomination brings that discussion to every water cooler, every dining room table, every campus, and every family – a historic feat that is just as complex, layered, and altogether important as the narratives of cis-het individuals.
The Academy Awards have long been accused of being late to the party when it comes to diversity, and even though some strides have been made in recent years, the voting bloc has a long way to go before making a significant dent in challenging the current standard. In 2025, the Oscars can make a transformative statement by choosing Emilia Pérez, and the actress at the center of the film, in all her glory.
A Night to Watch

With 13 nominations, Emilia Pérez is unlikely to walk away empty-handed. It’s poised for wins in categories like Best International Feature Film and Original Song, with a strong shot at acting awards for Gascón and Zoe Saldaña. Whether it triumphs in the marquee categories remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the film and its leading lady are already redefining what success looks like on Hollywood’s biggest stage.
If the Oscars are about celebrating bold, transformative storytelling, then Emilia Pérez and Karla Sofía Gascón are exactly the kind of contenders that deserve the spotlight.