Zoe Saldaña’s Apology Sparks Controversy at the 2025 Oscars!

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Zoe Saldaña is still proud of Emilia Pérez despite backlash at the 2025 Oscars.

Immediately following her win as Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her work in the Spanish musical, Zoe addressed criticisms about how Mexico was depicted in the movie, during the 2025 Oscar ceremony. (Check out who took home the biggest awards at the 2025 Oscars here.)

In the press room on March 2, when asked by a reporter who found the film “really hurtful,” she apologized sincerely, saying, “I’m deeply sorry if you and many Mexicans were offended. It was not our intention at all. Our conversation originated from a place of love, and I stand by that sentiment.

Zoe went on to express a different viewpoint. To her, the core of the movie wasn’t Mexico; instead, it was about four women who could have come from various backgrounds such as Russia, the Dominican Republic, Detroit, Israel, or even Gaza. They were making a film that transcended borders, focusing on universal women facing daily struggles against systemic oppression while striving to discover their most genuine voices.

In the end, the 46-year-old woman didn’t back down from those who might have been upset by the movie’s portrayal of Mexican culture. However, she continued to support the motives behind creating this project, which starred both Selena Gomez and Karla Sofía Gascón.

She affirmed her stance, but also expressed readiness to collaborate with her fellow Mexicans in a heartfelt dialogue, aiming to improve the project named “Emilia”. Bring it on, I’m ready and open!

Alongside the criticism of culturally insensitive character depictions in the movie, Karla, who made history as the first openly transgender actor nominated for an Oscar, found herself embroiled in a scandal when her past inflammatory social media posts reemerged. In multiple posts on X (previously known as Twitter), the Spanish actress seemed to direct derogatory comments towards Muslims, George Floyd, and diversity at the Oscars.

Moreover, although she later issued an apology, Conan O’Brien didn’t hold back from poking fun at the situation in his opening act.

Conan jokingly commented to the camera, “I adore Anora,” he said. By the way, here’s a fun tidbit: Anora has used the f-word an astounding 479 times, breaking the record previously held by Karla Sofía Gascón’s publicist by just three uses. ‘Did you really tweet that?!’

However, when the camera focused on Karla, she appeared to find the joke amusing, chuckling first before seeming to explain the host’s humor to her companion.

For more moments you might have missed from the 2025 Oscars, keep reading.

22 years after Adrien Brody famously acknowledged Halle Berry during his first Best Actor win for “The Pianist”, both found themselves nominated once more, this time for “The Brutalist”, with her ready and waiting.

Without a doubt, both Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have undergone a transformative experience following their roles in the musical Wicked. These talented performers took center stage at the 2025 Oscars, starting the event with a harmonious medley of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz, “Home” from The Wiz, and their own film’s most popular hit, “Defying Gravity.

stars, along with the vital individuals who temporarily filled the seats vacated by A-list celebrities for various reasons, were graciously bestowed presents by the generous host, Conan O’Brien.

2025 Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet has openly acknowledged who his significant other is, unlike some younger actors. He even brought Kylie Jenner as his date to the 2025 Oscars.

Demi Moore, a newcomer to the Oscars with a nomination for the film “The Substance,” enjoyed spending time with seasoned actress Meg Ryan earlier that night.

Sadly, despite the recognition Moore received during awards season, it was not until the Oscars that the honor of Best Actress eluded her, instead going to Mikey Madison in the film Anora.

As an ardent admirer, I couldn’t help but treasure the moment when Robert Downey Jr., the man behind my idolized character in “Iron Man,” bestowed the Best Supporting Actor award upon me during the ceremony. Backstage, I reveled in sharing a heartfelt conversation with last year’s victor, Kieran Culkin, the brilliant actor from “A Very Special Person.” The warmth and camaraderie I felt in their presence was truly indescribable.

Previous contender Samuel L. Jackson and Emilia Pérez, joined by Selena Gomez, took turns presenting the awards for Best Documentary Short and Documentary Feature at the Oscars. They were careful to immortalize this special occasion by recording it.

As an over-the-moon fanboy, I found myself tucked away backstage, eagerly anticipating my moment to shine while presenting the Oscar for Cinematography. To my delight, I unexpectedly crossed paths with none other than the mesmerizing Zoe Saldaña! But that’s not all – in the midst of our encounter, I couldn’t help but witness Sterling K. Brown and Ana de Armas gracefully handing over the Best Live Action Short award to the captivating ‘I’m Not a Robot’. What an unforgettable experience it was!

Prior to Lisa, the Blackpink artist and White Lotus star, taking the stage for a tribute to the James Bond franchise produced by Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson with “Live and Let Die”, she took a moment to gather her composure backstage.

In the awards ceremony, actresses Margaret Qualley from “The Substance” and Elle Fanning from “A Complete Unknown” didn’t receive nominations. However, they were offered substantial roles instead: Qualley unexpectedly appeared as a dancer during the James Bond tribute in the evening, while Fanning assisted in presenting the award for Best Costume Design to Paul Tazewell of “Wicked”.

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Although Margaret Qualley from “The Substance” and Elle Fanning from “A Complete Unknown” weren’t nominated, they still played significant roles. Qualley danced unexpectedly during the James Bond tribute in the evening, while Fanning helped present the award for Best Costume Design to Paul Tazewell of “Wicked”.

 

Ariana Grande, accompanied by her Wicked co-star and actual partner Ethan Slater, seemed to have an expression of being utterly astonished – however, only Ethan and Kieran Culkin can confirm the truth behind it.

Entertaining icons Oprah Winfrey and Queen Latifah teamed up to pay tribute to the late, exceptional Quincy Jones.

2024’s top-tier acting award recipients, Cillian Murphy (Best Actor) and Emma Stone (Best Actress), exchanged a few words before they set off to honor this year’s victors, Adrien Brody and Mikey Madison.

In this rephrased sentence, I aimed to make the text more conversational by using “top-tier” instead of “2024’s Best,” and “exchanged a few words” for “had a word up.” The pronoun “this” has been replaced with “this year” for clarity.

The winner of the Best Actor award, Brody, warmly greeted the esteemed nine-time Oscars host, Billy Crystal. In a special moment, Crystal was joined by his co-star from “When Harry Met Sally,” Meg Ryan, as they presented the Best Picture award to the film “Anora.

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2025-03-03 19:19