At the 82nd Annual Golden Globes, many films and television creatives received flowers for their hard work. Wicked, one of the most talked about films of the year, was a critical and commercial success since its release in November 2024. The Wizard of Oz prequel was lauded for the lead performances of Cynthia Erivo as future Wicked Witch of the West Elphaba and pop superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good. Together, they created an infectious, larger-than-life soundtrack that had many fans feel like they were defying gravity.
It shocked many diehard supporters when the Netflix original genre-bending musical/crime-thriller Emilia Peréz wound up winning the majority of film awards, including a Best Supporting Female Actor Globe for Zoe Saldana’s portrayal of lawyer Rita Mora Castro and the Golden Globe for “Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy.”
Emilia Peréz‘s Stunning Triumph over Wicked
The 2025 Golden Globes were held Sunday night at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Grammy and Golden Globe-nominated comedian Nikki Glaser hosted the festivities and brought her trademark scathing yet gut-busting hilarity to the award show. The Netflix original film Emilia Peréz was one of the top winners despite it garnering controversy. The genre-bending crime thriller/musical tells the story of a lawyer played by Zoë Saldaña assisting a noted Mexican cartel leader fulfill her dream of transitioning into a woman and keeping their family safe.
Based on French director Jacques Audiard’s opera of the same name, Perez took home four Globes including “Best Supporting Actress” for Saldaña, and “Best Musical/Comedy Film.” Many online have noted that this increases the chances that the streaming film will get equal or more love from the Academy with some Oscar nominations. Wicked, whose box office in the States came out to $450 million according to KoiMoi only won one Golden Globe.
The blockbuster fantasy Wicked was nominated in the same latter two categories and “Cinematic and Box Office Achievement” for which it won. Director John M. Chu talked about the making of the film and its upcoming sequel: “My parents came to this country and loved the Wizard of Oz. They told us about a yellow brick road and a place over the rainbow where all your dreams come true if you dare to dream it. So, when I’m up here looking at you, living the dream, and looking at this beautiful cast, it’s more beautiful than I ever thought it could be.”
The Tension Towards Emilia Peréz
One of the main gripes shared by viewers online was due to the production’s main cast featuring no Spanish-speaking actors. Lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón was born in Spain, and Saldaña has a Dominican and Puerto Rican background. Only Adriana Paz, who plays Emilia Peréz’s love interest and noted actress and singer Selena Gomez are Mexican.
Many felt the story failed to feel authentic due to casting actors who were not from the same background as their characters. Reportedly, Emilia Peréz was entirely filmed in Director Audiard’s home country of France – despite the story being set in Mexico. Both Jacques and casting director Carla Hool claim to have led a large casting call in Latin America and Mexico. They found performers but came up short of the talent they needed.
Regarding shooting the film exclusively in France, Jacques was quoted in a Hollywood Reporter interview as stating that shooting where his film’s story took place would be limiting. After some location scouting, they relented as the spots they visited didn’t match his vision of Mexico. The non-profit advocacy organization GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) wasn’t pleased either by the protagonist of Emilia Peréz. The film uses gender transition to leave their life of crime behind for a fresh start.
The Verdict
While it’s gratifying to the Golden Globes to recognize performers like Zoe Saldana and Karla Sofía Gascón, the making of films like Emilia Peréz showcases a growing disconnect between filmmakers and audiences. Wicked director John M. Chu and its stars were noted fans of the original Broadway play aided the finished product. Audiard and his crew could have employed screenings with trans-identifying audiences and allies to create a more grounded story that would resonate more with them. This could serve as a lesson on how to make his future productions pleasant to watch.
