Karla Sofía Gascón, the first openly trans actress to win at Cannes and star of the Spanish-language musical crime thriller ‘Emilia Pérez, has addressed the polarised reactions to the film, which has garnered significant award season recognition, alongside substantial online criticism.

In ‘Emilia Pérez’, Gascón portrays a former Mexican cartel leader who fakes her death with the help of lawyer Rita (Zoe Saldaña) to undergo gender-affirming procedures, subsequently reentering her family’s life disguised as their aunt. Some left-wing LGBTQ+ critics have expressed concerns that the film emphasises surgery as central to the transgender experience and perpetuates negative stereotypes of transgender individuals as violent or neglectful of their families.

In an interview with ‘The Hollywood Reporter’, Gascón responded to these critiques, stating:

“First off, I’m tired of TikTokers, Instagrammers, influencers and people who get up in the morning and are all soccer coaches, they are all journalists, they are all film critics. You must be super well-adjusted to criticize the work of 700 people from your couch, sitting there next to your PlayStation,” she said.

“Second, they claim to speak for everyone. Let me tell you: Being LGBT doesn’t make you less of an idiot.”

Gascón, anticipated to receive a Best Actress nomination at the upcoming Oscars, emphasized that online commentary does not accurately reflect public sentiment toward the film. She remarked, “Social media is a lie. The reality is in the street. It’s people who come up to you to say thank you.” She added, “There is something beautiful happening in society… Many people are waiting for me to be nominated somewhere. If I’m given that award, they’ll jump for joy.”

Gascón also revealed that she collaborated with director Jacques Audiard to enhance the film’s transgender representation. Initially, the script depicted Emilia’s transition as a means to evade law enforcement, with her embracing her female identity later. The original narrative included Emilia’s first post-surgery romantic involvement with a man, indicating a shift in her sexual orientation. Following Gascón’s input, the final version portrays Emilia developing a romantic relationship with a woman named Epifanía (Adriana Paz).

Beyond criticism from some LGBTQ+ individuals, ‘Emilia Pérez’ and Gascón have been targeted by right-wing, anti-LGBTQ+ groups. Gascón disclosed receiving death threats, including one stating she would “be found dismembered in a bag.” She commented, “I’ve gotten used to it. In fact, I love it. It’s my gasoline to then tell the people of the light: ‘You have won.’ The more people hate me, the more insulting messages they send, the more I say, ‘Thank you,’ and the more I’m going to enjoy this moment.”

‘Emilia Pérez’ is currently available for streaming on Netflix.