Selena Gomez Addresses Backlash Over Spanish Fluency in Emilia Pérez
Selena Gomez isn’t letting the critics steal her joy surrounding her work in Emilia Pérez.
Indeed, while her accent and apparent difficulty with the language sparked backlash and debate over her Mexican American heritage, the actress is continuing to block out the noise and instead celebrate the work.
“I pushed myself into uncomfortable spaces which as an actress are the most rewarding, Selena, 32, told Billboard in the Latin Women in Music issue published April 24. “It was a magical time and working with [director] Jacques Audiard was one of my best experiences.”
And when it comes to her next acting gig, the Only Murders in the Building star is willing to be challenged again.
“I am taking my time to find the right role and director to work with next,” Selena said. “Because I want it to be a challenge and unexpected.”
In the Emilia Pérez—which was nominated for several Oscars—Selena played Jessi, an American musician who moved to Mexico to pursue her career. Like her character, who was bicultural, Selena faced harsh criticism for her Spanish speaking and dialect, including by Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez, who called her performance “indefensible.”
After catching wind of the CODA actor’s comments, Selena defended herself.
“I understand where you are coming from,” Selena commented on a Dec. 8 TikTok video of the 63-year-old criticizing her Spanish. “I’m sorry I did the best I could with the time I was given. Doesn’t take away from how much work and heart I put into this movie.
Following the release of the movie, Selena not only saw herself defending her work, but keeping the focus on the film as it was shrouded in controversy over, Karla Sofía Gascón’s offensive past tweets.
"I'm really good," Selena said during a Q&A at the 2025 Santa Barbara Film Festival Feb. 9 when asked how she was holding up amid all of the chaos surrounding the film. "Some of the magic has disappeared, but I choose to continue to be proud of what I’ve done, and I’m just, I’m just grateful and live with no regrets."
The “When You’re Ready” singer added, "And I would do this movie over and over again if I could."
By Tionah Lee
