Selena Gomez Describes Heightened Anxiety for New Musical Role

Selena Gomez expressed that her preparation for her most recent role caused her to feel “the most nervous I’ve ever been for an audition”. The artist known for “Lose You To Love Me” portrays Jessi Del Monte in the Spanish-language musical film Emilia Pérez, which was directed by French filmmaker Jacques Audiard. This film, already considered a potential contender for success at the Oscars, centers on a Mexican Cartel leader who stages his own death and embarks on a new existence as a woman. In an interview with BBC Radio 1, Selena stated that upon her initial reading of the script, she harbored doubts about its feasibility but ultimately placed her trust in Audiard. The Grammy-nominated performer confessed that she had “never really properly done a musical” prior to this project. She remarked, “When I read it and understood it I was like, ‘How on earth are they going to make this movie?’ But we never doubted him ever.” Within the movie, which features co-stars Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Adriana Paz, Selena portrays the spouse of the Cartel leader who later transforms into Emilia Pérez, a character embodied by Karla. Selena informed Greg James of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show, “Jessi is the wife, she’s a mother, she’s struggling with confusion – losing the love of her life and all the confusing parts of it.” Zoe, who plays Rita, a lawyer responsible for organizing Emilia’s gender reassignment surgery, commented, “You’d think it’s a crime thriller.” She further elaborated, “But in reality, it’s a journey of four women trying to find their authentic selves and their versions of freedom and love.” Zoe mentioned that prior to her transition, Emilia is depicted as an “unredeemable character,” yet viewers develop a “yearning for her redemption.” Emilia Pérez is scheduled for release in cinemas and on Netflix in the UK later this month, having already garnered generally favorable reviews. Selena, Zoe, Karla, and Adriana have already secured the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival, and Variety indicates that the film might be the streaming platform’s inaugural winner for best picture at the Oscars. Conversely, Slant states that the film “tries to be a lot of things, only to end up being about very little,” and Empire has also criticized it for employing “tropes of trans stories.” Karla, a trans actress, conveyed to Deadline that she experienced “a lot of responsibility… for this movement around me.” She added, “I’ve done a lot of trying to educate people, to make them respect me.” Entertainment Weekly specifically commended Selena as a “welcome surprise,” noting that she has “shed any remaining hints of her Disney Channel origins.” The 32-year-old’s breakout performance occurred on Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place in 2007; however, she has maintained her acting career and recently received award nominations for her part in Only Murders In The Building. Regarding her portrayal of Jessi, Selena stated, “I knew I had to embody this other person. It all had to come from her. I couldn’t be the pop star – as cheesy as that sounds.” Notwithstanding her achievements in both acting and music, Selena admitted to still experiencing nervousness. She explained, “Because I was so honoured and I knew Jacques [Audiard] was such a visionary and I just wanted to be a part of it.” Newsbeat broadcasts live at 12:45 and 17:45 on weekdays, with options to listen to past episodes. This content is copyrighted by BBC in 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites and provides information regarding its approach to external linking.