Zoe Saldaña made history winning her first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Emilia Pérez. The win capped off an incredible awards season for her.
With tears in her eyes, Saldaña expressed her gratitude, saying, “Mami! Mami! My mom is here. My whole family is here. I am floored by this honor. Thank you to the academy for recognizing the quiet heroism and strength in a woman like Rita and for celebrating powerful women. To my fellow nominees, the love and support you’ve shown me is a true gift, and I promise to pay it forward.”
She received the award from last year’s winner in the category, Da’Vine Joy Randolph.
This win adds to an already impressive run for Saldaña. She picked up her first Golden Globe in January and has also claimed awards at the British Academy Film Awards, the Critics Choice Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
“I’m the proud child of immigrant parents,” Saldaña said during her speech. “My grandmother came to this country in 1961, with dreams, dignity, and hard-working hands. And now, I’m the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award. And I know I won’t be the last.”
Saldaña, who was a front-runner in the category, stood alongside several other first-time nominees, including Monica Barbaro for A Complete Unknown, Ariana Grande for Wicked, and Isabella Rossellini for Conclave. Felicity Jones, who was nominated for The Brutalist, had previously received a nomination in 2015.
In Emilia Pérez, Saldaña played Rita Castro, a down-on-her-luck lawyer hired by a Mexican drug lord to facilitate gender-affirming surgery. The drug lord later becomes Emilia Pérez, portrayed by Karla Sofía Gascón, who made history as the first openly transgender actor nominated for an Oscar.
Saldaña reflected on the significance of her role, adding, “The fact that I’m getting an award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish, my grandmother would be so delighted if she were here.”
Emilia Pérez, a Spanish-language narco-musical directed by Jacques Audiard, led the Oscars with 13 nominations, though it was a polarizing film. Controversy surrounding the film grew when old offensive tweets from Gascón resurfaced, and it faced criticism for its portrayal of Mexican culture.
Although Saldaña’s performance received praise, some felt she was miscategorized as a supporting actress, pointing out that her role had more screen time than Gascón’s. Nonetheless, her win is a milestone in her career, marking a truly memorable awards season.
