Zoe Saldana shares personal reason for taking 'Emilia Perez' role

Emilia Perez star Zoe Saldana won the Supporting Actress award at the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards.

During her emotional acceptance speech on Sunday, the actress, 46, revealed her personal reason for taking the role in the film.

Saldana shared that she took on the role in honour of her transgender nephew, Eli. She dedicated the award to Eli, saying, "I am dedicating all of these awards and the film Emilia Perez to my nephew, Eli."

"He is the reason, they are the reason, I signed up to do this film in the first place," The actress added. "So as a proud aunt of a trans life, I will always stand with my community of trans people."

Saldana also expressed gratitude for the opportunity, calling her role "a creative challenge of a lifetime."

Moreover, Zoe Saldana also went on to thank her family in the speech, saying, "I want to thank my mom for being such a selfless person. Thanks to you, I'm able to do anything I want. My husband, you are God's favorite and I hate it — but you are so beautiful!"

Emilia Pérez, directed by Jacques Audiard, tells the story of a lawyer (played by Saldaña) helping a Mexican drug lord transition into a woman. The film also starring Selena Gomez, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Édgar Ramírez, earned several nominations.