Selena Gomez’s Candid Confession About Her ‘Emilia Pérez’ Role Will Make Her ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ Fans Cry Real Tears
- Selena Gomez’s role in ‘Emilia Pérez’ marks a major career milestone for her.
- It shows her evolution as an actress and earned her the Best Actress nod at Cannes.
- But one of her confessions about the role may hurt 'Wizards of Waverly Place' fans.
Selena Gomez, a name that brings to mind teenage charm and dreams, has recently amazed everyone with her latest announcement. The former Disney star, famous for her magical role as Alex Russo in Wizards of Waverly Place, has revealed that her latest acting experience was nothing less than the magical world she used to be part of.
What’s surprising is that she didn’t compare it to Wizards of Waverly Place, even though it was her first starring role and launched her career as a leading lady. Instead, Sel likened it to her role in the controversial Spring Breakers.
Selena Gomez Compares Cannes-Winning Role to Spring Breakers
While Emilia Pérez is a major achievement for Selena Gomez, it has revealed an unexpected truth. For someone who grew up enchanted by Wizards of Waverly Place, you’d expect the actress to credit it as one of her best roles.
However, the 32-year-old didn’t mention it. Instead, she compared her role in Emilia Pérez to her role in Spring Breakers. In that film, Gomez played Faith, a young and religious college student who gets caught up in a dangerous spring break adventure with her friends. In a chat with The Hollywood Reporter, the singer said:
It was probably the best experience that I’ve had on a set since Spring Breakers. I’ve been very lucky to be in great projects, but those two have a special place in my heart, because it was something I was afraid to do. It was something I wanted to challenge myself [with].
Her loyal fans were stunned when she revealed it, which didn’t include the beloved sitcom that had touched so many hearts. As fans take in this unexpected news, it’s clear that Gomez is no longer just Alex Russo. She’s evolving as an artist, trying new things, and reaching new heights. This, in itself, is truly a big change!
Selena Gomez’s Mexican-American Twist in Spanish Debut
The former Disney star is once again pushing her boundaries with Emilia Pérez, where she not only stars but also makes her Spanish acting debut. Her role in the film won her the Best Actress award at Cannes and was a major milestone in her career. Selly shared her journey into Spanish film and gushed in the same interview:
I had auditioned for this part, and I worked on my Spanish with a coach, and I probably spent half a year trying my hardest to really go after this. And even in the audition, I had messed up a few of the lines.
But fate had other plans. Director Jacques Audiard saw something unique in Gomez’s background and proposed changing the character to be Mexican-American. She admitted:
Jacques actually was really great, and he said, “I think that we should make her Mexican American. We were able to build the character, Jessi, around my ability, and I was so grateful for that. It allowed me to not only focus on just making sure I was speaking Spanish — I could be a little bit more free and focus on my performance.
This change let her give a more genuine and detailed performance. Being able to concentrate on acting instead of just speaking the language made a big difference. The actress was overjoyed by the warm welcome Emilia Pérez received and admitted she didn’t expect the film to do so well. She thinks the powerful female cast and Jacques Audiard’s talented direction played a big part.
Emilia Pérez will be released in French theaters on August 21, and on Netflix on November 13 in the US and UK.
