Madrid, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Spanish actress Karla Sofia Gascon issued an apology on Friday for previous derogatory social media posts targeting Muslims and other groups. She announced her decision to maintain a low profile to support her film "Emilia Perez" leading up to the Academy Awards, where it has been nominated.
The first transgender person nominated for an Oscar in acting witnessed a decline in her prospects recently following the resurfacing of old posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, that contained offensive remarks about various groups, including Muslims.
I sincerely apologize to everyone who has been hurt by my past actions, Gascon stated on her Instagram account.
For the sake of the film, its director Jacques Audiard, the cast, and the dedicated crew, Gascon expressed her intention to let the work speak for itself by maintaining silence. She hopes that her restraint will allow the film to be appreciated for its essence as "a beautiful ode to love and uniqueness."
Gascon, who hails from Spain, acknowledged not refuting the comments made on X, although she claimed they lacked context.
In an earlier Instagram post this week, Gascon asserted, Neither I nor my family hold racist views, quite the opposite. She highlighted that no one had come to her defense when she faced criticism over the old posts.
In her Friday statement, Gascon referenced an interview with the film's French director Audiard, where he did not offer support and criticized her previous remarks.
"Emilia Perez," a Spanish-language film depicting the story of a Mexican drug lord who transitions to a woman, has received 13 Oscar nominations and has already won accolades, such as Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldana.
The Netflix-produced movie has faced significant backlash in Mexico due to its substandard Spanish, use of stereotypes, and filming in Paris with minimal Mexican cast representation. Audiences have also criticized the film for its depiction of forced disappearances, highlighting that over 100,000 individuals are missing in Mexico.