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Bill Maher has claimed that “cancel culture” was responsible for Anora triumphing at the Oscars ahead of Emilia Pérez.
The 69-year-old comedian argued that Emilia Pérez, the Netflix musical about a trans cartel leader, would have been more successful if it had not been for the scandal that engulfed star Karla Sofía Gascón.
Anora ultimately took home five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Speaking on Friday night’s Real Time with Bill Maher, the host said: “There are people who say cancel culture isn’t a real thing and I would say to them, ‘It just happened at the Oscars.’”
He added: “You may not think it happened but the movie that was going to win it all was Emilia Pérez.”
Maher argued that “Hollywood loved” the idea that they would “finally have a person, who was a trans person” win Best Actress.
Gascón had made history as the first openly trans individual nominated for an Academy Award in any acting category.
However, her Academy Awards campaign was derailed when Gascón took aim at the publicity team of a rival film and she faced accusations of racism and Islamophobia when old social media posts resurfaced.
Maher described Gascón’s tweets as something “a little child” would write, adding: “It was a little Kanye-esque, just whatever’s on the brain comes out.”
He went on: “And then some things she said, which are just, ‘Oh yeah. You know what? I’ve said things like that.’ It’s just very, very honest. But of course, the woke community — it was way too far.”
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He concluded: “And this movie, that was going to win it all, it was the front-runner, and she was going to get all… suddenly was out to lunch. And good news for Anora. That’s what happened. So yes, cancel culture is still with us. It may just be a little more subtle.”
Emilia Pérez had been in contention for 13 awards on the night, but ultimately won just two: Best Original Song (for “El Mal”), and Best Supporting Actress, for Zoe Saldana.
During the ceremony, host Conan O’Brien referenced the scandal when he joked: “Anora uses the ‘F-word’ 479 times – that’s three more than the record set by Karla Sofía Gascón’s publicist.”
He continued: “Karla Sofía Gascón is here tonight – and Karla, if you are going to tweet about the Oscars, my name is Jimmy Kimmel.”
