Zoe Saldaña’s ‘Emilia Perez’ Extensive Screen Time Sparks Oscars Category Debates
variety.comClayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The long-standing debate about what separates a lead from a supporting performance has resurfaced this awards season.
Case in point: Netflix’s high-profile contender “Emilia Pérez.” The Spanish-language musical, directed by acclaimed French auteur Jacques Audiard, has already garnered enthusiastic reviews and is poised to be a significant player across multiple Oscar categories.
But the studio’s decision to campaign Karla Sofía Gascón as best actress while positioning her co-star Zoe Saldaña as a supporting actress has sparked a heated discussion.
Saldaña’s role as Rita, a lawyer who aids the drug cartel boss Manitas in faking her death, undergoing gender-affirming surgery, and emerging as “Emilia Pérez,” propels the film’s narrative.
Read more on variety.com
