If you were scrolling through social media during the 2025 awards season, you probably saw the chaos. One minute, Emilia Pérez is the darling of the film festival circuit, and the next, everyone is screaming about "rich rats." It was messy. Honestly, it was one of those Hollywood stories where the timeline gets so blurred by screenshots and stan wars that it’s hard to tell what’s actually real.
The core of the storm was a series of resurfaced posts from Karla Sofía Gascón’s X (formerly Twitter) account. While most of the headlines focused on her past comments regarding Islam and George Floyd, a very specific and nasty tweet about her co-star, Selena Gomez, sent the internet into a total tailspin.
What did Karla Sofía Gascón tweet about Selena Gomez?
Basically, the tweet that went viral was a screenshot allegedly from October 2022. In it, Gascón supposedly called Selena Gomez a "rich rat" who "plays the poor b—" whenever she can. The post went on to claim that Selena would never stop "bothering" her ex-boyfriend (Justin Bieber) and his wife (Hailey Bieber).
It looked bad. Really bad.
The timing of the "leak" was almost surgical. It hit right as Oscar voting was heating up. Suddenly, the heartwarming narrative of the two actresses bonding on set was replaced by screenshots of what looked like a betrayal. But here is where it gets tricky: Gascón has flat-out denied she ever wrote it.
📖 Related: Lindsay Lohan Leak: What Really Happened with the List and the Scams
The Denial and the "Fake" Claim
During a very emotional, hour-long interview with CNN en Español in early February 2025, Gascón didn't hold back. She was in tears. She explicitly told journalist Juan Carlos Arciniegas, "It’s not mine, of course." She argued that she would never refer to a colleague—especially one she had worked so closely with—in that way.
Gascón’s defense was basically that the tweet was a fabrication designed to sink her Academy Award chances. She mentioned that while some of her other controversial posts (the ones about religion and social issues) were indeed hers—and for which she apologized—the "rich rat" comment was a total plant.
How Selena Gomez Reacted to the Fallout
Selena Gomez is usually the queen of "kill 'em with kindness," but you could tell this whole situation weighed on her. She didn't come out and bash Karla, but she didn't exactly pretend everything was fine either.
Speaking at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Selena admitted that "some of the magic has disappeared" from the Emilia Pérez experience. It was a heavy thing to say. You’ve got this movie that represents a huge career milestone for her, and it’s being overshadowed by a digital ghost from 2022.
👉 See also: Kaley Cuoco Tit Size: What Most People Get Wrong About Her Transformation
- She stood by the work: Selena made it clear she’d do the movie again in a heartbeat.
- She kept her distance: While she was polite, the vibe had clearly shifted.
- The Oscar Encounter: At the 2025 Oscars, the two were spotted having a brief, somewhat awkward exchange. There was a kiss on the cheek, a quick handshake with Benny Blanco, and that was about it.
It felt like a professional "we’re good, but we’re not besties anymore" move.
The Wider Controversy
We can't talk about the Selena tweet without mentioning the other stuff that came out. Journalist Sarah Hagi was the one who originally brought Gascón’s old posts back into the light. These weren't just about celebrities; they involved some pretty harsh rhetoric about Islam and the 2020 protests in the US.
Gascón’s apology was interesting. She used her own status as a member of a marginalized community (as the first openly trans woman nominated for a Best Actress Oscar) to say she knows what suffering feels like. She basically said she was sorry for the pain she caused, even if she felt some of her words were taken out of context or were part of a different "conversation" she was having years ago.
Why This Matters for Hollywood
This wasn't just another Twitter spat. It actually changed the trajectory of a multi-million dollar Netflix campaign. Netflix reportedly scaled back Gascón’s promo appearances after the backlash became too loud. It’s a classic case of how the "digital footprint" is the new background check in Hollywood.
✨ Don't miss: Dale Mercer Net Worth: Why the RHONY Star is Richer Than You Think
What’s interesting is that Selena allegedly told Karla, "I've got your back," when the news first broke. But as more and more tweets surfaced, the situation became too toxic for anyone to fully defend.
What You Can Take Away From This
If you're following this drama, there are a few things to keep in mind about how these stories move:
- Screenshots aren't always DNA: In the age of "Inspect Element," creating a fake tweet is dangerously easy. While Gascón admitted to many posts, her firm denial of the Selena one suggests we should at least consider the possibility of a hit piece.
- Context is usually the first casualty: Twitter thrives on 280-character outrages. Often, the nuance of a decade-long career gets boiled down to one bad afternoon in 2020.
- The "Magic" is fragile: Selena's comment about the magic disappearing is a reminder that movies are more than just what’s on screen; they’re about the energy of the people who made them.
Moving forward, the best thing to do is keep an eye on how these stars interact in future projects. Hollywood has a short memory, but the internet never forgets. If you're looking to dive deeper into the Emilia Pérez saga, watching the film itself is probably the best way to separate the art from the social media noise.
Check out the official statements from both camps if you want the "legal" version of the story, but the real truth usually lies somewhere in between the tears and the "deleted" buttons.