NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� , the Oscar-nominated trans actor and star of the movie 鈥淓milia P茅rez,鈥� is apologizing for her old posts on social media that denigrated Islam and that called George Floyd 鈥渁 drug addict and a hustler.鈥�
鈥淎s someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain,鈥� the actor said in a statement via Netflix, where her film can be streamed. "All my life I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness.鈥�
Gasc贸n made history as the first transgender performer to be nominated for the Oscar for best actress, helping make 鈥淓milia P茅rez鈥� the going into next month's show. Netflix will be hoping the controversy doesn't derail the film's Oscar chances.
Old posts from Gascon's account on Twitter resurfaced this week, some going as far back as 2016, that took aim at Muslims' dress, language and culture in her native Spain. She also suggested that Islam be banned.
And less than a month after , a Black man, who was killed by a white Minneapolis police officer in 2020, prompting a national and racism, Gasc贸n offered her assessment of Floyd as a drug addict who 鈥渧ery few people ever cared鈥� for.
Gasc贸n was a regular in Mexican telenovelas before transitioning in 2018. In 鈥淓milia P茅rez,鈥� she plays both a menacing cartel kingpin and the woman who emerges after the kingpin fakes his own death, Emilia P茅rez. Years later, Emilia contacts the lawyer who facilitated her transition (Zoe Salda帽a) to help her reunite with her wife (Selena Gomez) and their children.
Old tweets have come back to haunt celebrities before, include James Gunn, Trevor Noah and Blake Shelton. All have rebounded, with Gunn getting rehired to direct the third 鈥淕uardians of the Galaxy鈥� film for Marvel and the upcoming 鈥淪uperman鈥� reboot; Noah is hosting this weekend's Grammy Awards and Shelton was for years a coach on NBC's 鈥淭he Voice.鈥�
Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press
