During her heartfelt acceptance speech at t
he 97th Academy Awards, Zoe Saldaña dedicated her first Oscar to her late grandmother, honoring the matriarch who inspired her journey. Saldaña won the award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Emilia Pérez.
“My grandmother came to this country in 1961,” Saldaña shared. “The fact that I’m receiving this award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish would have delighted her.”
Saldaña made history as the first American actor of Dominican descent to win an Oscar, a milestone she celebrated with pride. “I am a proud child of immigrant parents with dreams, dignity, and hardworking hands,” she declared, receiving enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Her performance as Rita, a lawyer who assists the titular character in faking her own death, has garnered Saldaña multiple accolades. This was her first Oscar nomination and win.
Emilia Pérez received 13 Oscar nominations, although its campaign faced challenges when offensive tweets from Best Actress nominee Karla Sofia Gascón resurfaced earlier this year. Saldaña expressed her disappointment regarding Gascón’s comments.
In her speech, she also expressed gratitude to her family, colleagues, and the filmmaking team: “To my cast and crew of Emilia Pérez, I share this award with you. Thank you to Netflix, Ted Sarandos, Lisa Taback, Bela Bajaria, and everyone who supported this project.”
She went on to thank her family, including her parents and sisters, stating, “Everything brave, outrageous, and good in my life is because of you.” Saldaña concluded with a loving tribute to her husband and children, expressing the joy they bring to her life.
“This is for my grandmother,” she reiterated, closing with, “Thank you so much! Muchas gracias.”