Selena Gomez Says Dad Is Proud of Her Spanish inEmilia Pérez

Mar. 15, 2025

Selena Gomez.Photo:Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via GettySelena Gomezis making her father proud.On Monday, Sept. 30, theOnly Murders in the Buildingactress, 32, walked the red carpet for the premiere of her new projectEmilia Pérezat the 62nd Annual New York Film Festival at the Lincoln Center.During the event, she spoke withExtraabout what her dad, Ricardo Joel Gomez, thought of her performance as Jessi Del Monte in the Spanish-language musical comedy, as well as her take on representation in the film.Selena Gomez attends the Emilia Pérez premiere during the 62nd New York Film Festival.Theo Wargo/Getty“I really feel like this has been such a blessing in this movie. I hope people understand the meaning behind it and enjoy it, and I couldn’t be more grateful to [director] Jacques [Audiard] for giving me this opportunity as an actor, so I hope this is just the beginning,” she told the outlet.The “Love On” singer continued, “I had never really performed the kind of dances that were displayed in the movie, but it was fun and it felt like a release, and screaming the songs and just being passionate was great.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Gomez then shared why speaking Spanish in the musical was important to her.“It meant the world to me that he trusted me with that and it meant a lot to my family,” she toldExtra, adding that she had help nailing her part in the production.Selena Gomez in Emilia Pérez.Shanna Besson/PAGE 114“I had coaches, yes, and we communicated every day in Spanish, but, yeah, my dad was even so proud. He was like, ‘You’re texting me, mija,’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m texting you in Spanish.’ ”In addition to Gomez,Emilia Pérezalso starsZoe Saldaña, Edgar Ramírez, Karla Sofía Gascón and Adriana Paz.PEOPLE also spoke with Saldaña, 46, on Monday as she shared her experience working with her cast mates.“It’s wonderful,” the actresstold PEOPLE exclusivelyabout bonding with her costars. “To this day, there’s so much love, there’s so much respect. We’re rooting for each other. We’re happy for each other. We’re fixing each other’s makeup and wardrobes.“Emilia Pérez cast.Gisela Schober/Getty"You know, every time on the red carpet, we were so excited to be a part of this project to be working with [director] Jacques Audiard that we were kind of childlike when we were shootingEmilia,” Saldaña continued.Emilia Pérezdebuted at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in May, winningtwo awards— including the best actress award for its ensemble of women.The film, which is based on Audiard’s opera libretto of the same name, was also screened at theToronto International Film Festivalthis month, where it wasnamed first runner-upto the festival’s People’s Choice Award winnerThe Life of Chuck.Emilia Pérezis in select theaters Nov. 1, and begins streaming on Netflix Nov. 13.

Selena Gomez.Photo:Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty

Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty

Selena Gomezis making her father proud.On Monday, Sept. 30, theOnly Murders in the Buildingactress, 32, walked the red carpet for the premiere of her new projectEmilia Pérezat the 62nd Annual New York Film Festival at the Lincoln Center.During the event, she spoke withExtraabout what her dad, Ricardo Joel Gomez, thought of her performance as Jessi Del Monte in the Spanish-language musical comedy, as well as her take on representation in the film.Selena Gomez attends the Emilia Pérez premiere during the 62nd New York Film Festival.Theo Wargo/Getty“I really feel like this has been such a blessing in this movie. I hope people understand the meaning behind it and enjoy it, and I couldn’t be more grateful to [director] Jacques [Audiard] for giving me this opportunity as an actor, so I hope this is just the beginning,” she told the outlet.The “Love On” singer continued, “I had never really performed the kind of dances that were displayed in the movie, but it was fun and it felt like a release, and screaming the songs and just being passionate was great.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Gomez then shared why speaking Spanish in the musical was important to her.“It meant the world to me that he trusted me with that and it meant a lot to my family,” she toldExtra, adding that she had help nailing her part in the production.Selena Gomez in Emilia Pérez.Shanna Besson/PAGE 114“I had coaches, yes, and we communicated every day in Spanish, but, yeah, my dad was even so proud. He was like, ‘You’re texting me, mija,’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m texting you in Spanish.’ ”In addition to Gomez,Emilia Pérezalso starsZoe Saldaña, Edgar Ramírez, Karla Sofía Gascón and Adriana Paz.PEOPLE also spoke with Saldaña, 46, on Monday as she shared her experience working with her cast mates.“It’s wonderful,” the actresstold PEOPLE exclusivelyabout bonding with her costars. “To this day, there’s so much love, there’s so much respect. We’re rooting for each other. We’re happy for each other. We’re fixing each other’s makeup and wardrobes.“Emilia Pérez cast.Gisela Schober/Getty"You know, every time on the red carpet, we were so excited to be a part of this project to be working with [director] Jacques Audiard that we were kind of childlike when we were shootingEmilia,” Saldaña continued.Emilia Pérezdebuted at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in May, winningtwo awards— including the best actress award for its ensemble of women.The film, which is based on Audiard’s opera libretto of the same name, was also screened at theToronto International Film Festivalthis month, where it wasnamed first runner-upto the festival’s People’s Choice Award winnerThe Life of Chuck.Emilia Pérezis in select theaters Nov. 1, and begins streaming on Netflix Nov. 13.

Selena Gomezis making her father proud.

On Monday, Sept. 30, theOnly Murders in the Buildingactress, 32, walked the red carpet for the premiere of her new projectEmilia Pérezat the 62nd Annual New York Film Festival at the Lincoln Center.

During the event, she spoke withExtraabout what her dad, Ricardo Joel Gomez, thought of her performance as Jessi Del Monte in the Spanish-language musical comedy, as well as her take on representation in the film.

Selena Gomez attends the Emilia Pérez premiere during the 62nd New York Film Festival.Theo Wargo/Getty

Theo Wargo/Getty

“I really feel like this has been such a blessing in this movie. I hope people understand the meaning behind it and enjoy it, and I couldn’t be more grateful to [director] Jacques [Audiard] for giving me this opportunity as an actor, so I hope this is just the beginning,” she told the outlet.

The “Love On” singer continued, “I had never really performed the kind of dances that were displayed in the movie, but it was fun and it felt like a release, and screaming the songs and just being passionate was great.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Gomez then shared why speaking Spanish in the musical was important to her.

“It meant the world to me that he trusted me with that and it meant a lot to my family,” she toldExtra, adding that she had help nailing her part in the production.

Selena Gomez in Emilia Pérez.Shanna Besson/PAGE 114

Shanna Besson/PAGE 114

“I had coaches, yes, and we communicated every day in Spanish, but, yeah, my dad was even so proud. He was like, ‘You’re texting me, mija,’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m texting you in Spanish.’ ”

In addition to Gomez,Emilia Pérezalso starsZoe Saldaña, Edgar Ramírez, Karla Sofía Gascón and Adriana Paz.

PEOPLE also spoke with Saldaña, 46, on Monday as she shared her experience working with her cast mates.

“It’s wonderful,” the actresstold PEOPLE exclusivelyabout bonding with her costars. “To this day, there’s so much love, there’s so much respect. We’re rooting for each other. We’re happy for each other. We’re fixing each other’s makeup and wardrobes.”

Emilia Pérez cast.Gisela Schober/Getty

Gisela Schober/Getty

“You know, every time on the red carpet, we were so excited to be a part of this project to be working with [director] Jacques Audiard that we were kind of childlike when we were shootingEmilia,” Saldaña continued.

Emilia Pérezdebuted at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in May, winningtwo awards— including the best actress award for its ensemble of women.

The film, which is based on Audiard’s opera libretto of the same name, was also screened at theToronto International Film Festivalthis month, where it wasnamed first runner-upto the festival’s People’s Choice Award winnerThe Life of Chuck.

Emilia Pérezis in select theaters Nov. 1, and begins streaming on Netflix Nov. 13.

source: people.com