Oscar Nominations 2025: Emilia Pérez Gets 13 Nods Despite GLAAD Calling It Bad Transgender Representation

As a lifestyle connoisseur, I must confess that the Oscars have an intriguing knack for featuring movies that spark debate. Last year, Bradley Cooper’s Maestro ignited quite a discussion, and this time around, it’s Emilia Pérez – an unexpected front-runner on the 2025 nomination list – that has everyone talking.

The movie has earned nominations across significant categories such as Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director (Jacques Audiard), Cinematography, and Best Picture. Emerging talent Karla Sofía Gascón has been recognized in the Lead Actress category for her captivating portrayal of the main character.

In addition, Zoe Saldaña, portraying Rita Mora Castro, received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress. The movie also garnered recognition in several other categories such as Best Original Song, Foreign Language Film, Sound, and Editing.

The musical garnered an impressive total of 13 nominations, making it the most nominated production of the year. However, this was unexpected given the ongoing controversies involving Emilia Pérez. This was even more surprising when big-budget films like Jon M. Chu’s Wicked received fewer recognitions in comparison.

The movie is being labeled as the “antagonist” in the competition – a title that journalist and critic Bobby Finger uses to refer to a film he finds highly dislikable, a cultural piece he despises the most, his cinematic Achilles’ heel.

Some online users responded surprisingly to the unanticipated nominations for the Audiard-directed musical. One particular user on platform X commented, “While everyone was busy criticizing Wicked, it turns out that Emilia Pérez was the real antagonist of the musical all along.

In simpler terms, the well-known group that supports LGBTQ rights, GLAAD, criticized the movie for using the main character’s transgender identity as a means to resolve the storyline. They went on to label the film as “deeply outdated” and stated that it takes a step back in the portrayal of transgender individuals on screen.

Harron Walker, a contributor to The Cut, expressed criticism towards the filmmaker for apparently not having a comprehensive grasp of gender transition. According to Walker, the main character, Emilia Pérez, was depicted as a woman who seemed uncertain about the male identity hidden within her.

Is it the movie’s acclaim that comes from its impressive cast or the thoughtful and elevated topic it explores? If that’s the case, will the trend of Oscar-winning films with such qualities persist in the future? Keep an eye out for further developments.

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2025-01-23 19:37