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"I'm very very sorry that you and so many Mexicans felt offended. That was never our intention. We came from a place of love and I will stand by that," Saldaña told a reporter following her Oscar win for Best Supporting Actress in the Netflix film.
While fielding questions following her history-making Best Supporting Actress win for the musical-dramedy at the 97th Academy Awards Sunday night, Saldaña was confronted by a Mexican journalist who said the film was "really hurtful" for her people.
"First of all, I'm very very sorry that you and so many Mexicans felt offended. That was never our intention. We came from a place of love and I will stand by that," said Saldaña, who plays a lawyer in the film that focuses on a Mexican cartel boss who fakes her death before undergoing gender-affirming surgery.
Emilia Pérez, which led the pack Sunday with 13 nominations, ultimately went home with two wins. And while the film earned plenty of praise across awards season, it was also met with backlash for its portrayal of Mexican culture and cartel violence in the country, as well as for its trans representation.
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While speaking to the reporter, Saldaña said she doesn’t "share her opinion," adding that the "heart of this movie was not Mexico."
"We weren't making a film about a country. We were making a film about four women," Saldaña said of the musical, which also stars Karla Sofía Gascón and Selena Gomez. "And these women could've been Russian, could've been Dominican, could've been Black from Detroit, could've been from Israel, could've been from Gaza."
She continued, "And these women are still very universal women that are struggling every day, trying to survive systemic oppression and trying to find their most authentic voices."
Amid the backlash, Saldaña added that she’s "always open to sit down with all of my Mexican brothers and sisters" to have a conversation with "love and respect" on how the movie could have been done better.
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Zoe Saldana Emotionally Accepts First-Ever Oscar for Emilia Perez
View StoryDespite the dialogue surrounding the Jacques Audiard-directed film, the win was a monumental one for Saldaña, who became the first American of Dominican origin to win an Oscar.
"My grandmother came to this country in 1961," Saldaña told the crowd of Hollywood A-listers. "I am a proud child of immigrant parents with dreams and dignity and hard-working hands and I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award and I know I will not be the last. I hope."
"The fact that I'm getting an award for a role that I got to sing and speak in Spanish," she added. "My grandmother, if she were here, she would be so delighted. This is for my grandmother. ... Thank you so much, muchas gracias!"
