Actress Zoe Saldaña has sparked controversy after her response to a Mexican journalist’s criticism of the film “Emilia Pérez” at the Oscars. The film, which won Best Supporting Actress for Saldaña, has been criticized for its portrayal of Mexico and the lack of representation from Mexican crew members.
The film’s director, Jacques Audiard, admitted during press tours that he didn’t do much research on Mexico before making the film. This sparked a conversation with Saldaña about the film’s representation of Mexico.
When asked by a Mexican journalist if she stood by the portrayal of Mexico in the film, Saldaña replied, “First of all, I’m very sorry that you and so many Mexicans felt offended. That was never our intention. We spoke from a place of love, and I will stand by that.”
Saldaña also stated that the heart of the film was not Mexico, but rather four women who could have been from any country, including Russia or Israel. The actress claimed to be open to discussing how the film could have been done better with her Mexican colleagues.
However, many internet users were unimpressed with Saldaña’s response, calling it “disrespectful and disgusting” and accusing her of profiting off a culture she doesn’t understand. They pointed out that the film chose to focus on Mexico, set it in Mexico, and mimic Mexican culture without consulting any Mexican crew members or experts.
The backlash comes just days after Saldaña won her Oscar for her performance in “Emilia Pérez”.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/people-notttt-happy-zoe-salda-153229365.html