It may have been embraced by the Academy, but just a day after its debut in Mexico, the acclaimed "narco-musical" Emilia Pérez was already drawing sharp rebukes for superficial portrayals of sensitive subjects.

Actress Adriana Paz, the only Mexican in the main cast of 'Emilia Perez,' says in an interview with EFE that if the film wins at the Oscars, “the triumph” would also be for Mexico, where the film has sparked controversy for its portrayal of drug trafficking and the disappearance of people.

French director Jacques Audiard defended and apologized for his film “Emilia Pérez” at its Mexican premiere Wednesday.

Actress Adriana Paz gives a press conference to promote the film "Emilia Perez," in Mexico City, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/)

As it earned a record 13 Oscar nominations, Jacques Audiard's Spanish-language film Emilia Perez Is facing criticism in Mexico, where it is set.

Despite its huge international success, including a leading 13 Oscar nominations, Emilia Perez faces criticism in Mexico, where the

Unconventional Spanish-language movie musical "Emilia Pérez" may be an Oscars front-runner, but some feel the film is "torturous" and "harmful."

In one notable exception, supporting cast member Adriana Paz, who plays Emilia’s lover, Epifanía, is from Mexico. Paz defended the movie in an interview with IndieWire. “I’ve heard people ...

Some questioned why a movie set in Mexico was directed by a French filmmaker and did not feature a single Mexican actor in the lead roles. As the controversy grew, Adriana Paz, who plays Emilia’s lover, Epifania, in the film, defended the project during ...

and Adriana Paz — shared the best actress prize at Cannes. Gascón was the first trans actress to win. But grumbling about the film’s portrayals of Mexicans and its trans protagonist grew louder around the time it won four Golden Globes, including Best ...

The film co-stars Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz ... and of the film's four main actresses, Paz is the only one born in Mexico. The movie has also received backlash for its sanitized ...

She and co-stars Zoë Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz shared the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. In the film, Gascón plays a Mexican crime boss who seeks out a lawyer ...