Fresh off her first Academy Award win for the boundary-pushing musical Emilia Pérez, Zoe Saldaña is once again making headlines — this time, not for a performance, but for the pronouns she’s chosen for her Oscar statuette. With thoughtful nods to representation, identity, and inclusion, Saldaña has assigned her Oscar a gender-fluid identity, continuing a small but symbolic tradition among Hollywood stars.
A gender-fluid golden statue
Zoe Saldaña, known for her versatility in roles ranging from Avatar’s Neytiri to Guardians of the Galaxy’s Gamora, achieved a career milestone at the 2025 Academy Awards with a win for Emilia Pérez — a Spanish-language musical that tackles themes of identity, justice, and transformation. In the film, Saldaña plays Rita, a weary lawyer who helps a cartel boss transition into a woman named Emilia, played by Spanish actress Karla Sofía Gascón. The film, and Saldaña’s performance, garnered widespread acclaim for pushing the boundaries of both genre and gender representation on screen.
Now, the actress is extending those themes beyond the screen and into her personal life — or at least into her office. At the Los Angeles premiere of Disney’s animated film Elio, Saldaña revealed to People that her Oscar statuette is “gender fluid” and uses they/them pronouns. “We have it in my office and my Oscar is gender fluid,” she said. “It’s trans, and goes by them.”
While the remark was made with a light touch, it holds deeper meaning given the context of Emilia Pérez and Gascón’s historic nomination as the first out trans woman to be up for Best Actress at the Oscars.
A growing tradition of symbolic gestures
Saldaña’s declaration isn’t the first time a celebrity has assigned nonbinary or transgender identities to their Oscar statues. In 2023, Everything Everywhere All at Once star Jamie Lee Curtis shared during an appearance on the Today show that her Oscar also goes by they/them pronouns — a tribute to her daughter Ruby, who is transgender.
“I’m in support of my daughter Ruby,” Curtis said. “I’m having [my Oscar] be a they/them. I’m going to just call them ‘they/them’… They are doing great, they’re settling in.”These symbolic gestures may seem small, but they reflect a shifting Hollywood narrative — one in which actors use their platforms, even playfully, to reinforce messages of inclusivity and respect for diverse gender identities. For Saldaña, whose work in Emilia Pérez involved exploring the complexity of gender transition in a deeply personal and dramatic context, the choice feels both fitting and intentional.
A personal moment behind the glamour
In addition to revealing her Oscar’s identity, Saldaña also opened up about her vulnerable physical state during this year’s ceremony. Speaking on Live With Kelly & Mark, she admitted that the moments following her win were far from glamorous.
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“I collapsed right after. I lost my voice within an hour after I won the award,” Saldaña confessed. “I couldn’t stand on those heels that I had. All I wanted to do was crawl in bed and maybe cry. I don’t know why, I needed to cry.”
It’s a raw reminder that even in moments of triumph, the emotional and physical toll of intense work and public attention can catch up. Saldaña’s candor in discussing the aftermath of her Oscar win — from collapsing backstage to being overcome with the need to cry — humanizes what is often seen as a glossy, fairy-tale moment in a performer’s career.
More than a golden statue
Saldaña’s win for Emilia Pérez represents more than personal success. It symbolizes a broader evolution in the kinds of stories the Academy is beginning to recognize. The film, directed by Jacques Audiard, dares to combine Latin American crime drama with operatic musical numbers, while putting a trans character at its center. It’s bold, complex, and unlike anything mainstream Hollywood has rewarded before.
By naming her Oscar “trans” and affirming its gender-fluid identity, Saldaña blurs the lines between performance and personal belief, art and activism. While some might see the gesture as quirky or unserious, others recognize its potential as a conversation starter — one that subtly challenges long-standing norms in one of the most tradition-bound institutions in entertainment.
For Saldaña, whose filmography spans massive franchises and intimate indie projects alike, this symbolic act is a way to bring the themes of her work into daily life — even if it’s just through the quiet presence of a golden statuette on a shelf.
A future defined by inclusion
With Emilia Pérez, Zoe Saldaña stepped into one of the most complex roles of her career, and in doing so, helped pave the way for greater visibility and respect for trans narratives in film. The fact that her co-star, Karla Sofía Gascón, made Oscar history is not lost on her — nor is the significance of continuing that conversation beyond the screen.
In a world where statues often represent static, unchanging ideals, Saldaña’s gender-fluid Oscar stands as a playful yet potent symbol of change. It’s a reminder that representation isn’t just about who wins — but also about how those wins are honored, interpreted, and carried forward. As awards season fades and the industry looks ahead, one thing remains clear: Zoe Saldaña’s victory was more than golden — it was transformational.
