Karla Sofía Gascón, the breakout star of the Cannes-favorite film “Paris Memories,” has filed a complaint against French far-right politician Marion Maréchal for hateful comments made in reference to Gascón’s historic win as the first transgender woman to receive the Best Actress prize at Cannes. Maréchal’s comments, which insinuated that Gascón is not a legitimate woman and that the award was a sign of “progress for the left wing” in erasing women and mothers, prompted six LGBTQ groups to file a complaint earlier this week for “transphobic insult.” Gascón’s lawyer, Etienne Deshoulières, confirmed that Gascón had filed a legal complaint for “sexist insult on the basis of gender identity.” Maréchal, 34, could face a one-year imprisonment and a €30,000 fine if found guilty of transphobic insult; alternatively, she could be fined €3,750 if charged with “sexist insult due to one’s gender identity.” Upon winning the joint Best Actress prize alongside Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz, Gascón delivered a tearful speech dedicating the award to all trans people “who suffer and must keep faith that changing is possible.” She anticipated the kind of criticism Maréchal has displayed, saying, “Tomorrow, there will be plenty of comments from terrible people saying the same things about all of us trans people.” Gascón ended her speech with a message of hope, urging her detractors to “change for the better, to become better people.” In Jacques Audiard’s Mexico-set musical, Gascón plays a Mexican cartel boss both before and after gender reassignment surgery, showcasing her talent and earning the film two prizes at Cannes – the ensemble female acting prize and the Jury Prize. Her performance has been praised for its power, pathos, and earnestness, particularly in the dual role of Manitas and Emilia. “Paris Memories” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in Competition and has been acquired by Netflix for the US and the UK.
Transgender Actress Karla Sofía Gascón Files Lawsuit Against Far-Right Politician Marion Maréchal for Hateful Comments
