Emilia Pérez director Jacques Audiard paid a heartfelt tribute to disgraced star Karla Sofía Gascón in his acceptance speech at the 2025 BAFTAs on Sunday.
The French filmmaker, 72, said ‘he could kiss’ the absent actress while accepting the award for Best Film Not In The English language, shortly after Zoe Saldaña who won Best Supporting Actress for her role in the movie, also name checked her controversial co-star.
Spanish actress Karla, 52, was left off the BAFTA guest list, after several of her offensive social media posts resurfaced and sparked controversy amid allegations of racism, homophobia and body shaming.
During his speech Jacques thanked the film’s cast before ending his speech by saying: ‘I also thank you Karla Sofía, who I kiss’.
Meanwhile Zoe, 46, in her expletive acceptance speech read a long list of persons she wished to thank, one of whom was Karla.
The director previously branded the actress’ tweets as ‘inexcusable’ and ‘hateful’ saying they had ‘affected’ the pair’s relationship.
Emilia Pérez director Jacques Audiard paid a heartfelt tribute to disgraced star Karla Sofía Gascón in his acceptance speech at the 2025 BAFTAs on Sunday
Meanwhile Zoe Saldaña, 48, who won Best Supporting Actress for her role in the movie, almost name checked her controversial co-star
Spanish actress Karla, 52, was left off the BAFTA guest list, after several of her offensive social media posts resurfaced and sparked controversy amid allegations of racism , homophobia and body shaming (pictured last month)
He told ᴅᴇᴀᴅline: ‘The trust we shared, the exceptional atmosphere that we had on the set that was indeed based on trust. And when you have that kind of relationship and suddenly you read something that that person has said, things that are absolutely hateful and worthy of being hated, of course that relationship is affected’.
Before adding: ‘It’s as if you fall into a hole. Because what Karla Sofía said is inexcusable.’
Karla has come under-fire after her old social media posts were uncovered, showing her criticizing Islam, George Floyd, Adele and co-star Selena.
Following the backlash, the cast and crew of Emilia Perez have distanced themselves from her, as well as Netflix itself.
In her tearful speech Zoe was quickly pulled off camera for swearing as she shouted ‘f***, f***, f***’ when the countdown hurried her.
Zoe was in floods of tears as she accepted the award, admitting it is ‘so validating and a true honour’ to received the gong after being previously told by dialect coaches that her British accent wasn’t going to work.
Listing off her thank yous, Zoe said: ‘Oh my god I’m getting a countdown. F*** f*** f***!’
She was all smiles as she accepted the award from Colman Domingo and Adam Pearson.
During his speech Jacques thanked the film’s cast before ending his speech by saying: ‘I also thank you Karla Sofía, who I kiss’
Meanwhile Zoe, 46, in her expletive acceptance speech read a long list of persons she wished to thank, one of whom was Karla
The Mexican movie, which has received mixed reviews despite its starring cast including Selena Gomez , is up for a staggering 11 nominations (Selena, L, pictured with Zoe, R)
Karla (pictured in the movie) has come under-fire after her old social media posts were uncovered, showing her criticizing Islam, George Floyd, Adele and co-star Selena
The Mexican movie, which has received mixed reviews despite its starring cast including Selena Gomez, is up for a staggering 11 nominations.
Zoe looked nothing short of sensational during the evening as she graced the star-studded red carpet in a dramatic black lace gown.
Read More BAFTAs 2025 winners: Adrien Brody and Mikey Madison scoop top gongs as The Brutalist and Conclave lead the pack with FOUR awards each including Best Film for the papal drama 
She showed off her amazing figure in the semi-sheer ensemble which boasted an eye catching off the shoulder neckline with a huge mesh collar.
Styling her long tresses in neat waves, Zoe elevated her frame in a pair of towering heels and accessorised with a silver dazzling necklace.
The biggest night in British film returned with actor David Tennant as host and an array of guest presenters on hand to deliver awards throughout the night.
Meanwhile Jesse Eisenberg, 41, accepted his co-star Kieran Culkin’s Best Supporting Actor gong for his starring role in A Real Pain.
Picking up Kieran’s gong, which he admitted is the fifth time he has received an award on his behalf this season, Jesse joked: ‘It’s confirmed what I always thought… we have a similar life but his is 27% better than mine.’
Jesse, who directed and starred in A Real Pain, also collected Best Original Screenplay gong and shared an emotional speech on the stage.
Picking up the movie’s second prize, he admitted: ‘I didn’t write anything because I didn’t think I’d win. I want to share this with my wife, who didn’t come because she didn’t think I’d win.’
BAFTA 2025 WINNERS
BEST FILM
Anora
The Brutalist
A Complete Unknown
Conclave – WINNER
Emilia Pérez
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
Bird
Blitz
Conclave – WINNER
Gladiator II
Hard Truths
Kneecap
Lee
Love Lies Bleeding
The Outrun
Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
Hoard – Luna Carmoon (director, writer)
Kneecap – Rich Peppiatt (director, writer) – WINNER
Monkey Man – Dev Patel (director)
Santosh – Sandhya Suri (director, writer), James Bowsher (producer), Balthazar De Ganay (producer) [also produced by Alan McAlex, Mike Goodridge]
Sister Midnight – Karan Kandhari (director, writer)
BEST CHILDREN’S AND FAMILY FILM
Flow
Kensuke’s Kingdom
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl – WINNER
The Wild Robot
BEST FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
All We Imagine As Light
Emilia Pérez – WINNER
I’m Still Here
Kneecap
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Black Box Diaries
Daughters
No Other Land
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story – WINNER
Will & Harper
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Flow
Inside Out 2
Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl – WINNER
The Wild Robot
BEST CHILDREN’S AND FAMILY FILM
Flow
Kensuke’s Kingdom
Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
The Wild Robot
BEST DIRECTOR
Anora – Sean Baker
The Brutalist – Brady Corbet – WINNER
Conclave – Edward Berger
Dune: Part Two – Denis Villeneuve
Emilia Pérez – Jacques Audiard
The Substance – Coralie Fargeat
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Anora
The Brutalist
Kneecap
A Real Pain – WINNER
The Substance
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
A Complete Unknown
Conclave – WINNER
Emilia Pérez
Nickel Boys
Sing Sing
BEST LEADING ACTRESS
Cynthia Erivo – Wicked
Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez
Marianne Jean-Baptiste – Hard Truths
Mikey Madison – Anora – WINNER
Demi Moore – The Substance
Saoirse Ronan – The Outrun
BEST LEADING ACTOR
Adrien Brody – The Brutalist – WINNER
Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown
Colman Domingo – Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes – Conclave
Hugh Grant – Heretic
Sebastian Stan – The Apprentice
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Selena Gomez – Emilia Pérez
Ariana Grande – Wicked
Felicity Jones – The Brutalist
Jamie Lee Curtis – The Last Showgirl
Isabella Rossellini – Conclave
Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez – WINNER
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Yura Borisov – Anora
Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain – WINNER
Clarence Maclin – Sing Sing
Edward Norton – A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce – The Brutalist
Jeremy Strong – The Apprentice
BEST CASTING
Anora – WINNER
The Apprentice
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Kneecap
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Brutalist – WINNER
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
Nosferatu
BEST EDITING
Anora
Conclave – WINNER
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
Kneecap
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Blitz
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Nosferatu
Wicked – WINNER
BEST MAKE-UP AND HAIR
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
Nosferatu
The Substance – WINNER
Wicked
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Brutalist – WINNER
Conclave
Emilia Pérez
Nosferatu
The Wild Robot
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
The Brutalist
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Nosferatu
Wicked – WINNER
BEST SOUND
Blitz
Dune: Part Two – WINNER
Gladiator II
The Substance
Wicked
BEST VISUAL SPECIAL EFFECTS
Better Man
Dune: Part Two – WINNER
Gladiator II
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Wicked
BEST BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION
Adiós
Mog’s Christmas
Wander to Wonder – WINNER
BEST BRITISH SHORT FILM
The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing
Marion
Milk
Rock, Paper, Scissors – WINNER
Stomach Bug
RISING STAR AWARD (VOTED FOR BY THE PUBLIC)
Marisa Abela
Jharrel Jerome
David Jonsson – WINNER
Mikey Madison
Nabhaan Rizwan
