‘Emilia Pérez’ Cast on Why the Musical Film Is a ‘Gift’: We Had the Opportunity to ‘Showcase Everything We Consider Art’

For Karla Sofía Gascón, the star of “Emilia Pérez” who can make Oscar history as the first trans actress ever to be nominated, she’s proud of what she executes in the high-energy musical.

“It is a very complicated character, which is at the stature of the huge Hollywood characters — a kind of character Marlon Brando, or Meryl Streep, or Javier Bardem would play,” Gascón said via an interpreter during an interview at the Variety Studio, sponsored by J.Crew and SharkNinja, at the Toronto International Film Festival. “It was a huge challenge to put myself in the skin of such a layered and complex character. I had to change my voice and accent. I had to sing. I’m proud of what I see when I look at myself on screen. In a word that sums it all up — it’s a gift that life gave me.”

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Gascón, along with her “Emilia Pérez” castmates — Selena Gomez, Zoe Saldaña, Édgar Ramírez and Adriana Paz — praised director Jacques Audiard’s vision for the critically acclaimed musical. In addition to playing the titular character, Gascón portrays the drug lord kingpin that Emilia transitions from being, a process that reminded her of her own experiences.

Saldaña, known for starring in four of the highest-grossing films of all time, believes “Emilia Pérez” allowed her to do things no other role asked of her before.

“Being in blue and green had its benefits,” Saldaña said with a laugh, referring to her roles in “Avatar” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.” “The connection it gave me with science fiction, which I do have a natural affinity for. Also, ‘Avatar’ was a film that I was able to incorporate so many parts of my craft. What I think what happened with ‘Avatar’ is there was a lack of understanding. I still feel that in 2009, ‘Avatar’ was way ahead of its time. Jim [Cameron] has always been ahead of his time.”

Saldaña continued: “But now, we’re gonna jump to ‘Emilia.’ I was given an opportunity to showcase everything that we consider art and forms of it… Being a part of a story that is so important, so proactive, so authentic, fresh and daring was, to me, the highlight of it all.”

Gomez recalled auditioning for the role of Jessi, a woman torn between her love for her husband and a future that no longer includes him. “Jacques was the one who saw something in me. In the audition, I had done things I never thought I could do just because of how he saw the character. I wanted to embody her completely.”

Ramírez, who plays Gustavo, a drug lord, said he was excited to be a “catalyst” in the story and “to have the opportunity to fall in love with Selena because I believe that love was true. Love is messy, not a straight line.”

Gomez smiled, “I loved him [Edgar], and I only say past tense because I have a new love in my life.”

As Epifanía, Emilia’s love interest, Paz performs a beautiful duet with Gascón, which shares its name with the movie.

“It’s a wild story, very risky,” Paz said. “When I first read the script, I thought this could be a failure, but it was amazing. It’s the thing that happens when you take risks.”

“Emilia Pérez” screens at TIFF on Tuesday, Sept. 10. Netflix will distribute the film with a limited theatrical release on Nov. 1 before it debuts on the streaming platform on Nov. 13.

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