Academy Award-winning actress claims her Oscar statue is ‘trans’ and ‘goes by they/them’ pronouns
Zoe Saldaña, who took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress earlier this year for her role in the Netflix musical drama Emilia Pérez, revealed that she considers her Oscar statue to be transgender.
While speaking to People magazine on the red carpet for her new Disney film Elio, Saldaña shared where she keeps her Oscar.
“We have it in my office and my Oscar is gender fluid,” the The Guardians of the Galaxy actress said.
She went on to clarify that the statue is “trans” and “goes by they/them.”
Saldaña earned critical acclaim for her portrayal of Rita, a lawyer who helps a cartel boss transition, in Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez.
The performance dominated the 2025 awards season, earning her accolades from the Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice Awards, BAFTAs, and Screen Actors Guild Awards, culminating in her Oscar win.
At the Cannes Film Festival, Saldaña shared the Best Actress award with co-stars Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz.
At this year’s Academy Awards, Saldaña triumphed in a competitive Supporting Actress category that included Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown), Isabella Rossellini (Conclave), Felicity Jones (The Brutalist), and Ariana Grande (Wicked).
Saldaña’s comments echo a similar sentiment previously shared by Jamie Lee Curtis.
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The actress also referred to her Oscar statue with they/them pronouns after winning Best Supporting Actress for Everything Everywhere All at Once in 2023.
Curtis said the gesture was in support of her daughter Ruby, who came out as transgender in 2020.
During her Oscar acceptance speech, Saldaña thanked the Academy “for recognising the quiet heroism and the power in a woman like Rita, and talking about powerful women.”
She praised director Jacques Audiard, saying: “Jacques, you are a beloved character in my life. Thank you for taking the interest. Thank you for being so curious about these women to tell this story.”
Saldaña became emotional as she spoke about her family and heritage: “My grandmother came to this country in 1961 – I am a proud child of immigrant parents…
“I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award, and I know I will not be the last. I hope.”
She added: “The fact that I’m getting an award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish – my grandmother, if she were here, she would be so delighted, this is for my grandmother.”
Saldaña will next be heard in the animated film Elio, arriving in theatres June 20.