When Oscar nominations were first announced, it looked as if Netflix’s EMILIA PEREZ was in a prime position to win big after receiving nominations in 13 categories. A movie with multiple Oscar wins would be a major achievement for Netflix, which has been disappointed by a string of near misses at the Oscars with their critically acclaimed movies ROMA, THE IRISHMAN, and ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT failing to win Best Picture.
It is a long-held goal of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos to win the Best Picture Oscar, and with EMILIA PEREZ having recently taken home the top prize from several awards groups, it looked as if Netflix might finally pull it off this year.
However, after Oscar nominations were announced, EMILIA PEREZ’s prospects have taken a sharp fall. Controversy has developed around the film for a variety of reasons, including a backlash from critics and audiences and controversial comments from the film’s director Jacques Audiard, and its star Karla Sofia Gascon.
A series of Twitter posts from 2020 and 2021 by lead actress Karla Sofia Gascon have resurfaced that are being seen as racist statements, disparaging Islam, and the protests following the murder of George Floyd. Her posts are being widely condemned, including by some of the film’s cast members. The controversy has cast doubt on EMILIA PEREZ’s prospects, with the leading Best Picture contenders now seen as THE BRUTALIST and ANORA.
In a podcast interview with entertainment journalist Matt Belloni, Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajara acknowledged the awards challenges faced by EMILIA PEREZ, saying that “it’s a bummer for the 100 incredibly talented people who made an amazing movie.”
Asked if Netflix would take further steps to review the key player’s social media accounts, Bajara said “It’s not common practice for people to vet social tweets that way…A lot of people are reevaluating that…I do think it is raising questions for a lot of people about reevaluating that process.” For now, it looks as if the streamer will have to wait again until next year for their shot to win Best Picture.