Just over a month separates Karla García Gascón from absolute happiness. For now, the joy is immense but not complete. Being the second actress from Alcobendas after Penélope Cruz to be nominated for an Oscar currently places her as one of the five happiest women in the world dedicated to the film industry and acting. However, it would be even better if the nomination were to turn into something else. "Obviously," she starts decisively and straightforwardly, "I won't feel happy if someone other than me wins." And she continues: "I found it amusing to hear a comment that said, 'Certainly, the nominations and awards you receive are not because of how modest you are.' I found it very funny. And the truth is that my performance is incredible." And she laughs. She laughs out of pure satisfaction. But something is missing. Indeed, the Oscar is missing.
Karla Sofía Gascón speaks from the other side of the zoom with a group of Spanish journalists. She does so, she comments, from Uruguay. We imagine from Montevideo. She has traveled there from Brazil to present the movie, her movie, Emilia Pérez, "on the beach." For that and to talk with director Armando Bó with whom she will work on her next project. She mentions upcoming destinations like London, Berlin, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles... "and I don't know what else." And so on until March 2 when, she has no choice, she will step onto the red carpet of the most anticipated and famous gala of all anticipated and famous galas. "I am clear that my current success is my previous failure. And I explain this because right now I am clear that I am myself and I do what I have to do, which is what I want to do. And I no longer let anyone manipulate me, which was my previous failure." Pause. "So," she summarizes, "I am not going to sacrifice my current success to try to please anyone. If they love me, they love me as I am. And I will say what I have to say." Few tongue twisters are as explicit and even combative.
Remember, Karla Sofía Gascón arrives here at 52 years old after much experience. Until 2018, Karla was Carlos. It was then when she published the novel with a closely autobiographical air, Karsia. An extraordinary story signed by the former self. "It was my way of saying goodbye to him," she admitted some time ago. Before that, she started acting in the 80s and her name can be traced back to popular series like Isabel and El súper, where she was from 1996 to 1999. She later moved to Mexico and, after participating in several soap operas, recognition came with Nosotros los nobles (2013), one of the country's highest-grossing films. It was at that moment, thanks to the achieved stability, that she decided to "do what she had always dreamed of since childhood." And then came Emilia Pérez by Jacques Audiard, the sung, danced, and completely opposite story of a drug trafficker who, like Karla, one day decided to finally be who they truly were. In the movie, Karla is him and Karla is her. And outside of it, of course, Karla is Karla.
How do you judge that everything arrives at the same time as Trump?
First of all, it is important to make it clear that nothing that is happening has to do with my sexuality or my hair color. I have been nominated for countless awards before arriving here. I believe that my work is historic for many factors that have nothing to do with politics. But, truth be told, I am glad about the coincidence. Although, in reality, I would be happier if this man were not where he is. But as I said, I am glad that it has coincided because it can be a wake-up call. As I have already said, it is the fight of good against evil... Right now, there is a fight of good against backward and mentally limited people who are against freedom, respect, affection, love, and a fair and egalitarian society. And I know what I'm talking about because I have received the nomination amidst insults, threats of all kinds, and humiliations. Honestly, it makes me a little sad because in the end, the United States is a bit of a reference for all of us in the world. It saddens me that there are people like Trump or Bolsonaro, who are a mix between small-town bosses and last-generation fascists. They only sell hatred that others buy from them very easily, without understanding that in the end, that hatred will harm precisely those who vote for them... Honestly, I don't understand how we can continue to make the same mistakes of the past.
Have we mentioned that Karla always speaks straightforwardly?
Karla shares that now, after everything experienced since Cannes, she is intimate friends with her greatest and also most intimate rival. Demi Moore and she —with perhaps Cynthia Erivo's permission— have each won the major awards this season one by one. Cannes was for her, the Golden Globe for the star of La sustancia. And so on. "Honestly, she seems to me one of the kindest and most affectionate people I have met in Hollywood," she says. They exchange messages, wish each other luck, and... that's it. And then she remembers that Erivo herself sent her flowers. "I told her that the only thing I hoped for was that they weren't the kind that you smell and turn green... Now you have to be very careful that the gifts don't arrive poisoned," she adds, laughs again, and changes her expression. "Everything is fine, except for one thing. If I'm honest, the only thing that bothers me a bit is social media or the community managers who do nothing but latch onto other hate groups in a continuous attack against me," she says somewhat mysteriously, then clarifies, or something similar, to what was just said: "When to stand out you have to belittle the work of others, your work is not very valid and does not speak well of what you have done." And she leaves it at that. Is she accusing someone? "What is clear is that there is a total organized campaign for one reason: that I am the protagonist of Emilia Pérez. It's very clear, there's not much mystery to it."
Karla trusts in herself, in her work, and in the "experience" that she conveys to each viewer of Emilia Pérez. "The movie is completely different from anything seen before. No matter how much they tell you, when you sit down to watch it, you experience something that connects you soul to soul with the characters on the screen," she states in an attempt (without modesty) to explain her work. But she also has other things clear. "I am very proud, also, to be able to use my voice as a platform so that other people do not suffer the same way I have. However, I am aware that I cannot claim to represent anyone because no one has democratically chosen me." And that's why she is bothered by others who, to criticize her, position themselves as spokespersons for, in order, Mexico, the LGBTQ+ community, the transgender community, feminism, ... "Who gave them the right to do so much," she protests. And to finish with one more thing: "We are living in a fantasy world of social media that is not true. And above all because of that network called X, which may have the immediacy desired but is full of falsehoods. And it's disgusting." It's clear, straightforward.
Karla is happy. But not entirely. Karla wants to be the happiest person of all on March 2nd.