Karla Sofía Gascón, the 52-year-old Spanish actress, made history as the first openly trans actor to win the best actress award at Cannes. Her role in Emilia Pérez, directed by Jacques Audiard, was as audacious as it was groundbreaking. Playing Manitas, a Mexican drug kingpin who transitions to become Emilia Pérez, a socially conscious activist, Gascón delivers a performance that is as nuanced as it is powerful. The film itself defies convention, mixing noir elements with musical interludes, tackling subjects ranging from drug cartels to vaginoplasty.
The recognition Gascón has received for her role marks a turning point, not only in her career but also for the visibility of trans people in cinema. “Trans people have been insulted, denigrated, subjected to a lot of violence,” she noted in her moving acceptance speech at Cannes. This award was not just a personal victory for Gascón but a symbol of the increasing recognition of transgender actors in major film roles.
However, Gascón’s success hasn’t come without its share of backlash. After her Cannes win, far-right French MEP Marion Maréchal tweeted, “So a man has won best actress,” sparking outrage and lawsuits. Six LGBTQ+ organizations filed complaints against Maréchal, and Gascón herself took legal action. Her response was firm: abuse and denial of her identity wouldn’t undermine her accomplishments. “The confusion in society about what it means to be a woman is evident,” Gascón stated, as she addressed not just her critics, but also societal expectations placed upon women, particularly trans women.
Despite the criticism, Gascón remains focused on her craft and the message she hopes to send through her work. Power, for her, is not in violence but in the renunciation of it. Reflecting on the film’s themes, she pointed out that true strength lies in rejecting harmful gender roles and expectations. This resonates not only with the film’s portrayal of Emilia’s journey but with Gascón’s own path as a woman who defies stereotypes — both within and outside the LGBTQ+ community.
For Gascón, the win at Cannes and the potential Oscar nomination are merely milestones in a longer journey of self-acceptance and artistic expression. “If it happens, I will be the happiest actress in the world,” she shared, regarding her possible Oscar nod. Yet she remains grounded, proud of the work she’s done in Emilia Pérez, confident that this film, and this role, represent the best of her career so far.