Karla Sofía Gascón, the trailblazing star of Emilia Pérez, is staying in the running for the Oscar for best actress despite ongoing backlash over old social media posts. The actress, who made history as the first openly transgender nominee in an Oscar acting category, recently spoke out to address the controversy.

In a heartfelt interview, Gascón apologized to anyone offended by her past comments. “I cannot step down from an Oscar nomination because I have not committed any crime nor have I harmed anyone,” she stated. “I am neither racist nor anything that all these people have tried to make others believe I am.”

The uproar began after a journalist shared screenshots of Gascón’s old posts, which included criticism of Muslim culture, remarks about George Floyd’s death, and comments about the Oscars. Following the backlash, Gascón deactivated her social media account and issued a public apology.

“I want to address the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused harm,” she said in a statement. “As a member of a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and deeply regret having caused pain. All my life I have fought for a better world.”

One of the posts in question, written in Spanish, described Floyd—who died in 2020 after an encounter with police—as “a scammer drug addict.” Gascón also criticized the 2021 Oscars ceremony, saying it resembled “an Afro-Korean festival, a Black Lives Matter demonstration, or March 8th.”

Despite the controversy, Gascón’s performance in Emilia Pérez has earned her critical acclaim. The Netflix musical, which follows the story of a Mexican drug trafficker seeking gender reassignment surgery, has also sparked debate, particularly in Mexico.

The film’s director, Jacques Audiard, defended the project earlier this year, saying, “If there are things that seem scandalous to Mexicans in ‘Emilia,’ I apologize.”

Gascón’s nomination remains a milestone for representation in Hollywood, as she continues to navigate the challenges of her historic achievement.