| Karla Sofía Gascón | |
| Birth Name: | Juan Carlos Gascón |
| Birth Date: | 31 March 1972 |
| Birth Place: | Alcobendas, Spain |
| Occupation: | Actress |
| Years Active: | 1995–present |
| Spouse: | Marisa Gutierrez |
| Children: | 1 |
Karla Sofía Gascón (born 31 March 1972) is a Spanish actress.[1] She appeared in a number of telenovelas and films including El Señor de los Cielos (2013) and The Noble Family (2013). In 2024, she became the first openly trans actor to win a major prize at the Cannes Film Festival when she shared the Best Actress Award with her co-stars from Emilia Pérez, in which she played the title character.
Born in Alcobendas in 1972, Gascón appeared in Spanish daily soap opera El súper.[2] She appeared in a number of telenovelas and films including El Señor de los Cielos[3] and The Noble Family. Until 2018, she was credited as Juan Carlos Gascón.
In 2024, she starred as the title character in Jacques Audiard's musical crime comedy film Emilia Pérez, which premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Gascón went on to win the festival's Best Actress prize, shared jointly with her costars Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz and Zoe Saldaña, making her the first openly trans actor to win a major prize at Cannes.[4]
In October 2024, Gascón became a Knight of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France.[5]
Gascón moved to Mexico in 2009[6] and considers herself "Mexican by adoption", since she has lived and worked in Mexico for many years.[7]
Gascón is married to Marisa Gutierrez, whom she met at the age of 19 at a nightclub in Alcobendas, Spain. Together they have a daughter, born in 2011.[8] [1]
In 2018, aged 46, Gascón published her autobiography, Spanish; Castilian: Karsia, Una historia extraordinaria, where she came out as a trans woman.[9] [10]
| Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Destiempo | Padre | Short film |
| 1999 | Se buscan fulmontis | Gigolo del club | |
| 2002 | La caja 507 | Gafitas | |
| 2004 | Di que sí | Álex | |
| 2008 | El menú | Vigilante de seguridad | |
| 2009 | Cíclope | Riggs | Short film |
| 2010 | Cambio de sentido | Cantante | |
| 2011 | Mentiras | Luis | Short film |
| Interés variable | Interventor | ||
| 2013 | The Noble Family | Peter / Pedro Pintado | |
| El cura y el veneno | Felipe | ||
| 2014 | Cambio de sentido | Cantante | |
| 2016 | El Cazarrecompensas | El Alemán | Short film |
| 2024 | Emilia Pérez | Emilia Pérez | |
| Uomini e altri inconvenienti | Jaime |
| Title | Role | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–2010 | Corazón salvaje | |||
| 2010–2011 | Llena de amor | Jorge Jauma | ||
| 2014 | El Señor de los Cielos | Iñaki Izarrieta | ||
| 2014–2015 | Hasta el fin del mundo | |||
| 2022 | Rebelde | Lourdes |
| Year | Ceremony / festival | Category | Work | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Cannes Film Festival | Best Actress | Emilia Pérez | ||
| Ischia Global Film & Music Festival | Ischia Global Breakout Actress of the Year Award | [11] | |||
| Mill Valley Film Festival | Outstanding Ensemble Performance | [12] | |||
| SCAD Savannah Film Festival | Distinguished Performance Award | [13] | |||
| 2025 | Astra Film Awards | Best Actress | [14] | ||
| Palm Springs International Film Festival | Vanguard Award | [15] |