Zoe Saldaña at the 2025 Oscars.
Image: Bang Showbiz.
Oscar winner Zoe Saldaña has apologised to any Mexicans who felt offended by the depiction of their country in her film "Emilia Pérez".
The "Avatar" star won Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars on Sunday, March 02 for her performance in the controversial crime musical, which has been heavily criticised by the Mexican and transgender community.
Backstage after her win, Saldaña was asked to respond to the criticism by a Mexican journalist who declared that "Emilia Pérez" has been "really hurtful for us Mexicans".
"First of all, I'm very, very sorry that you and so many Mexicans felt offended. That was never our intention," she replied. "We came from a place of love and I stand by that. I don't share your opinion. For me, the heart of this movie was not Mexico. We were making a film about friendship. We were making a film about four women."
Saldaña insisted that the film was about the relationships between four women - played by herself, Selena Gomez, Karla Sofía Gascón and Adriana Paz - and they could have been of any nationality.
"These women are still very universal women that are struggling every day but trying to survive systemic oppression and trying to find the most authentic voices," she continued. "So I will stand by that but I'm also always open to sit down with all of my Mexican brothers and sisters, and with love and respect, having a great conversation on how Emilia could have been done better. I have no problem. I welcome it."
During her acceptance speech, the "Guardians of the Galaxy" star celebrated being the first American of Dominican origin to receive an Academy Award and dedicated her prize to her grandmother.
"Emilia Pérez" went into the ceremony with 13 nominations but only came away with two wins - Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song for El Mal. Its 11 losses make it the all-time biggest loser in Oscars history alongside "The Color Purple" and "The Power of the Dog".