Karla Sofia Gascon, the Spanish actress recently nominated for an Oscar for her role in Netflix’s Emilia Pérez, is at the center of a social media storm after old, controversial tweets resurfaced on January 30. The backlash was ignited by freelance journalist Sarah Hagi, who took screenshots of the problematic posts and shared them in a viral thread on X (formerly Twitter). Here’s a detailed look at the controversy, the reactions, and what both women have said about it.
Who Is Sarah Hagi?
Sarah Hagi, a freelance journalist from Ottawa, Canada, has made waves for her investigative work uncovering controversial social media posts by public figures. She attended Zaytuna College in Berkeley and has contributed to prominent outlets like The Guardian, BuzzFeed, Taste Cooking, and Vulture. Currently, she works as a journalist for Vulture and hosts the popular podcast Scamfluencers.
Hagi gained attention for her recent exposé on Karla Sofia Gascon, where she highlighted Islamophobic statements and other problematic tweets made by the actress between 2016 and 2023.
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What Did Karla Sofia Gascon Say?
The resurfaced tweets revealed multiple Islamophobic remarks, opinions on the 2020 murder of George Floyd, and commentary on the COVID-19 vaccine, among other topics. Many of these posts were seen as offensive, particularly by marginalized communities.
According to Sarah Hagi, the tweets were casual and unchallenged during their time online. In an interview with Variety, Hagi explained:
“She had tweeted these things, and they had existed online, unchallenged, from 2016 to 2023. There was no pushback, no visibility. This was just how she was casually tweeting. It wasn’t some deep dive or orchestrated effort — it was all just there.“
Hagi also noted that the lack of engagement on these tweets suggested they were not widely seen at the time but still reflected troubling views.
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How Sarah Hagi Discovered the Tweets
In her Variety interview, Hagi revealed that she stumbled upon Gascon’s old tweets after noticing what she described as a “dog whistle” in one of the actress’s recent posts.
What Is a Dog Whistle?
A “dog whistle” refers to coded language used to appeal to specific groups or ideologies without explicitly stating them. As a Black Muslim , Hagi explained that she could easily recognize such language due to her lived experiences:
“When you have an experience like I do, you know what the dog whistles are, and to me, that was a very clear dog whistle.”
After spotting the red flag, Hagi began searching for terms like Islam, Muslims, and hijab in Spanish to see if Gascon had made similar statements in the past. To her surprise, she uncovered a series of offensive tweets spanning several years.
Karla Sofia Gascon’s Response
Following the viral thread, Karla Sofia Gascon deleted her X account and issued a public apology. She wrote:
I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt. As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well, and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain. All my life, I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness.
However, many found her apology lacking. Critics argued that she failed to directly address the communities she had targeted or acknowledge the harm caused by her words.
Sarah Hagi’s Criticism of the Apology
When asked about Gascon’s apology, Sarah Hagi expressed skepticism, stating that it fell short of genuine accountability. She told Variety :
“Her apology wasn’t an apology. She didn’t address the marginalized group she targeted. She didn’t acknowledge the harm she caused.”
Hagi also criticized Gascon’s choice of words, particularly phrases like “light conquers darkness.” She remarked:
She said, ‘Light conquers darkness.’ Which — okay, maybe don’t use those words when responding to racist tweets.”
Hagi emphasized that while she believes in forgiveness and personal growth, apologies must be meaningful and address the specific harm done.
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Was Sarah Hagi a “Studio Plant”?
Amid the controversy, rumors circulated suggesting that Hagi might have been a “studio plant” hired to discredit Gascon. Hagi strongly denied these claims, pointing out that she has no significant social media presence and operates independently as a journalist.
“Anyone could have discovered these tweets,” she said. “No studio would hire someone like me for something like this.“
Karla Sofia Gascon remains a groundbreaking figure in Hollywood as the first trans actress to receive an Academy Award nomination . Her upcoming project, Las Malas , based on the novel Bad Girls by Camila Sosa Villada , is highly anticipated.
However, the controversy surrounding her past tweets continues to overshadow her achievements. Fans and critics alike are watching closely to see how she navigates this challenging chapter in her career.