Emilia P茅rez actress has made Academy Awards history by becoming the first openly transgender person to be nominated for an acting Oscar.
Three things to know:
1. The Spanish actress portrays the Emilia P茅rez 's titular character, a transgender drug lord in Mexico. The leads the pack this year, with a total of 13 Oscar nominations 鈥� just shy of the received by Titanic, La La Land and All About Eve.
2. Gasc贸n already made film history last year, when she became the first trans actor to win a major prize at Cannes. This year, she became the first trans actress in a film to be nominated for a Golden Globe. In 2022, became the first trans television actress to win a Golden Globe.
3. There have only been Oscar nominees in the award's history: English composer Angela Morley, musician Anohni and documentarian Yance Ford. Trans actor Elliot Page was nominated for his role in Juno before .
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What does Gasc贸n think?
She , after her own transition in 2018.
Gasc贸n also plays her cartel leader character before and after transition.
"This was an opportunity and I pushed for it because this was something that had never been done ... and this was perfectly constructed," she said.
Gasc贸n says her own life helped her bring truth to her character. "Without having been through misfortunes and the hardships of life, we cannot bring that on to a role," she said.
"Had I gotten this role about 20 years ago, I don't think that [I] would have been able to give it the same depth that I'm giving it now at 52."
Go deeper with NPR
- Listen to Gasc贸n's full interview to hear more about the process of making awards season's buzziest film, and how .
- Listen to the podcast, where host Brittany Luse goes beyond the obvious takes. Because culture doesn't happen by accident.
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