Selena Gomez says she’s still “proud” of Netflix’s Emilia Pérez despite all the controversy surrounding the film.
Gomez plays Jessi Del Monte in Emilia Pérez, the Spanish-language French film written and directed by Jacques Audiard. The film has been nominated for 13 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Karla Sofía Gascón), and Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldaña).
There’s been no shortage of controversy surrounding Emilia Pérez since its release, as many critics and viewers have criticized the film’s depiction of transgender representation and the Mexican community. Then, a number of controversial tweets posted by Gascón about Muslims, George Floyd, and more resurfaced. While Gascón apologized for her tweets and deleted her account, Netflix has essentially cut ties with the actress and is no longer financially supporting her awards campaign.
One of Gascón’s tweets was allegedly about Gomez, as she appeared to call her co-star a “rich rat.” Gascón told CNN en Español, via Variety, that the tweet was not hers and that she has “never said anything about my partner” and “would never refer to her that way.”
What did Selena Gomez say about Emilia Pérez?
Speaking at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, via Variety, Gomez admitted that “some of the magic has disappeared” when it comes to how she feels about Emilia Pérez.
However, Gomez also said, “But I choose to continue to be proud of what I’ve done and I’m just grateful. I live with no regrets, and I would do this movie over and over again if I could.”
She added, “Just having someone see something in me besides the obvious was such a special experience. The director [Jacques Audiard] just really trusted me, and I was so grateful because I’ve gotten to show people that I am capable of doing more. I hope this is just the beginning for me in this field.”
