Originally appeared on E! Online
Karla Sofía Gascón is still taking in her moment.
Weeks after the Emilia Pérez star was ensnared in controversy following several of old, controversial social media posts coming to light, she stepped out at the 2025 Oscars—hosted by Conan O’Brien at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre—on March 2. (See every star on the Academy Awards red carpet here.)
While the embattled actress skipped the red carpet, she was seated inside the show in time to watch O’Brien make a jab at her expense during his hilarious opening monologue.
“I loved Anora,” the comedian told viewers. “Little fact for you, Anora uses the f-word 479 times. That’s three more than the record set by Karla Sofia Gascón’s publicist. ‘You tweeted what?!'”
After pausing for laughs and applause, O’Brien continued more seriously, “I’m having fun. Karla Sofia Gascón is here tonight. And, Karla, if you’re going to tweet about the oscars, remember, my name is Jimmy Kimmel.”
The Spanish star—dressed ina simple black, off-the-should dress—took the joke in jest and was caught laughing as the camera cut to her in the audience. She also seemingly didn’t fully hear the Kimmel crack and appeared to be smiling and asking a friend to clarify O’Brien’s humor.
READ Oscars 2025 Red Carpet Fashion: See Every Look as the Stars Arrive (Live Updates)
Emilia Pérez also received additional Oscar nominations Best Film, going up against The Brutalist, Anora, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, I’m Still Here, The Substance, Nickel Boys and Wicked, for the award.
Gascón—who starred in the Netflix musical film alongside Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez—was submerged in hot water when posts on X where she commented on the murder of George Floyd, Muslims and diversity at the Oscars initially resurfaced.
“I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt,” Gascón said in a Jan. 30 statement through Netflix. “As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain. All my life I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness.”
However, as the scrutiny continued, Gascón pushed against “cancel culture” taking away from her opportunity to make history as the first openly transgender woman to be nominated for an Academy Award.
“I am only looking for the freedom to exist without fear, to create art without barriers and to move forward with my new life,” Gascón wrote in a subsequent Instagram post Feb. 4, translated from Spanish. “They want to apply ‘cancel culture’ to me.”
Emilia Pérez’s director Jacques Audiard subsequently spoke out against his film’s star.
“What Karla Sofía said is inexcusable,” Audiard told Deadline. “I don’t understand it, and what I don’t understand about this too is why she’s harming people who were very close to her.”
After Audiard’s interview was published, Gascón—who also attempted to defend herself in a lengthy CNN interview—vowed to take a step back.
“I decided, for the film, for Jacques, for the cast, for the incredible crew who deserves it, for the beautiful adventure we all had together, to let the work talk for itself,” Gascón wrote in a Feb. 6 Instagram post, “hoping my silence will allow the film to be appreciated for what it is, a beautiful ode to love and difference. I sincerely apologize to everyone who has been hurt along the way.”
Keep reading to see everyone who stepped out at the 2025 Oscars…
PHOTOSSelena Gomez at Oscars 2025 red carpet
