Karla Sofía Gascón Addresses Racism Allegations: I Am Less Racist Than Gandhi

Karla Sofía Gascón, the acclaimed star of Emilia Pérez, has reignited public debate after declaring herself "less racist than Gandhi" during a press conference in Madrid. The remark comes in the aftermath of a wave of controversy that followed the resurfacing of past social media posts deemed offensive and racist by many observers.

Gascón, who recently received widespread recognition for her award-winning performance, found her reputation under siege as old tweets defending Hitler and insulting various groups—ranging from Muslims to Chinese people—came to light. She responded to these accusations by strongly denying any racist intent, arguing that her comments were misconstrued and asserting her lifelong opposition to hate, even stating she used to physically confront skinheads in her youth.

Addressing the panel, Gascón said she believed she had been targeted by a deliberate smear campaign during the recent awards season, noting the suspicious timing and depth of the investigation into her past social media presence. She insisted that her critics could not provide concrete reasons for their outrage when confronted directly.

In her statements, Gascón also claimed there is nothing for which she needs forgiveness, maintaining that if anyone feels wronged by her, they are welcome to approach her with their grievances. She described her experience as not only professionally daunting but also emotionally overwhelming, revealing that the backlash at times pushed her to dark places. However, she has since started to process and learn from the ordeal, emphasizing that fighting hatred with more hatred only breeds further negativity.

The remarks and subsequent apology are part of Gascón’s promotional efforts for her new memoir, What’s Left of Me, in which she attempts to contextualize her past and reclaim her narrative amid ongoing public scrutiny.