Selena Gomez has revealed that preparing for her latest role was “the most nervous I’ve ever been for an audition." The Grammy-nominated artist stars as Jessi Del Monte in the Spanish-language musical Emilia Pérez, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jacques Audiard.
The film tells the story of a Mexican Cartel leader who fakes his own death to start a new life as a woman. When discussing her initial reaction to the script, Selena expressed uncertainty:
“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.'”
Selena portrays the wife of the Cartel leader, who becomes Emilia Pérez, played by Karla Sofía Gascón. She describes her character:
“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 Saldaña, who plays Rita—a lawyer involved in Emilia’s gender reassignment surgery—adds depth to the film’s narrative:
“You’d think it’s a crime thriller, but in reality, it’s a journey of four women trying to find their authentic selves and their versions of freedom and love."
Emilia Pérez has already garnered positive reviews ahead of its release in cinemas and on Netflix in the UK later this month. Alongside its cast’s success at the Cannes Film Festival, where they received Best Actress, Variety suggests that this film could be the streaming platform’s first contender for Best Picture at the Oscars.
Despite some critiques regarding its narrative depth and portrayal of trans themes, Karla Gascón shared her sense of responsibility as a trans actress:
“I’ve done a lot of trying to educate people, to make them respect me."
Selena Gomez continues to prove her versatility beyond her Disney Channel roots. She reflects on her transformation for this role:
“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."
Even with her success in both acting and music, Selena acknowledges feeling nerves due to working with such a visionary director:
“Because I was so honoured and I knew Jacques [Audiard] was such a visionary and I just wanted to be a part of it.”
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