During a recent episode of “Real Time,” Bill Maher shared his perspective on the events of Oscar Sunday. He discussed how “cancel culture” played a significant role in determining the winners of the latest Academy Awards, particularly affecting the film “Emilia Pérez” and lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón. Maher highlighted the shift in favoritism within the industry, initially supporting the groundbreaking potential of having a transgender person like Gascón win Best Actress. However, Gascón and “Emilia Pérez” faced backlash when controversial tweets from Gascón resurfaced, leading to their downfall as Academy favorites.
Maher pointed out that Gascón’s tweets, characterized as impulsive and reminiscent of Kanye West’s social media behavior, ultimately caused the once-promising film to lose its frontrunner status. As a result, “Anora” emerged victorious at the 2025 Oscars, securing multiple awards including Best Picture, Director, and Actress. Despite not claiming the night’s top honors, “Emilia Pérez” still managed to win in categories such as Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song. This outcome underscored Maher’s belief that cancel culture continues to influence the industry, albeit in more subtle ways.
