“Emilia Pérez” star Karla Sofía Gascón is the first openly transgender artist to receive an Academy Award nomination in the acting category.
Her portrayal in the Netflix crime drama/musical about a drug lord who wants gender reassignment surgery earned her a nomination for best actress.
The nomination of Gascon is noteworthy since trans rights have become a highly politicised topic in the United States.
According to a study published last autumn, anti-trans legislation boosts the number of suicide attempts among transgender and nonbinary youth, with rises of up to 72% among teenagers residing in states where such legislation is passed.
The Academy has recognised several transgender performers besides the Spanish actress.
Singer Anohni was nominated for best song in 2016, filmmaker Yancey Ford was nominated for best documentary feature in 2018, and composer Angela Morley was nominated twice in the 1970s for best original score.
For his role in “Juno” in 2007, actor Elliot Page received a nomination before transitioning in 2020.
A few cisgender actors have also received praise for their portrayals of transgender characters.
In 2000, Hilary Swank won an Oscar for Best Actress for her role as Brandon Teena in “Boys Don’t Cry,” and in 2014, Jared Leto took up the Best Supporting Actor prize for “Dallas Buyers Club.”
Eddie Redmayne’s performance in “The Danish Girl” earned him a nomination for best actor in 2016.
Gascón shared the Cannes Film Festival’s Best Actress prize with her ensemble cast, making her the first transgender woman to win the honour.
