Selena Gomez Claps Back at Haters! You Won’t Believe What She Said!

by

Selena Gomez isn’t letting the critics steal her joy surrounding her work in Emilia Pérez.

Regardless of the controversy surrounding her accent and language proficiency, which some have questioned as part of her Mexican-American identity, she remains unfazed and focuses on appreciating her accomplishments in her roles.

Selena, aged 32, shared with Billboard during their Latin Women in Music feature on April 24th, that she deliberately ventured into challenging territories as an actress. She found these situations to be the most enriching. She described it as a magical period and collaborating with director Jacques Audiard was one of her most memorable experiences.

As for her upcoming role in film or theater, the star of “Only Murders in the Building” is open to taking on more complex characters again.

Selena mentioned, “I’m being careful to select the ideal project and filmmaker for my upcoming collaboration. I desire it to be both stimulating and unanticipated.

In the film titled “Emilia Pérez,” which garnered numerous Oscar nominations, Selena portrayed Jessi, an American musician who relocated to Mexico to further her career. Just like her character, who was bicultural, Selena encountered severe criticism for her Spanish pronunciation and dialect, even from Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez, who deemed her performance “inexcusable.

 

After catching wind of the CODA actor’s comments, Selena defended herself.

As a lifestyle expert, I empathize with your perspective, taking note of your recent TikTok post critiquing my Spanish skills. Rest assured, I did my utmost best within the constraints of time at my disposal. My dedication and passion for the movie remain unwavering, regardless of the comments regarding my language abilities.

After the premiere of the film, Selena found herself not just defending her own work, but also maintaining the spotlight on the movie amidst the controversy surrounding controversial tweets from Karla Sofía Gascón.

During a Q&A at the 2025 Santa Barbara Film Festival on February 9th, Selena expressed that she’s doing quite well in the midst of the upheaval surrounding the film. She admitted that some of the magic has faded, but she remains proud of her accomplishments and is simply thankful, living with no regrets.

The “When You’re Ready” singer added, “And I would do this movie over and over again if I could.”

 

Keep reading took look back on the controversy that surrounded Emilia Pérez…

It is frequently noted by critics that, during award season, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences doesn’t always select the most outstanding films for the Oscars – not even the highest-grossing movies or those beloved by fans.

Initially, Emilia Pérez garnered praise, but her performances prompted audiences to hum a diverse range of melodies right from the start.

Although it has a good 72% rating as “fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes, the audience approval, or Popcornmeter, stands at just 16%. It’s not certain how this percentage has changed following the controversy.

Initially, when the movie premiered in November 2024, it garnered favorable responses within pop culture. The unique narrative of a merciless cartel leader who feigns death and transitions gender, portrayed vividly in the groundbreaking genre-blending musical, was both imaginative and daring. This production showcased transgender actress Karla Sofía Gascón at a time when transgender rights are becoming more threatened globally.

But the takes soured for a variety of reasons.

Although the movie is set in Mexico, it was mainly filmed in France, the nation that would celebrate a triumph if Emilia Pérez wins the Best International Feature Film Oscar.

The director of the movie, Jacques Audiard from France, who wrote both the original libretto (based on a portion of the 2018 novel “Listen”) and adapted the screenplay, has openly stated that he didn’t delve too deeply into researching the country. Additionally, although Adriana Paz is originally from Mexico City, Selena Gomez identifies as Mexican-American, most of the film’s main actors do not have Mexican ancestry. For instance, Zoe Saldaña hails from Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic, Gascón is Spanish, and Edgar Ramirez is Venezuelan.

Armchair critics were eager to knock Gomez’s Spanish-speaking, as well.

On Instagram, the star elegantly replied, “Given the time at hand, I did my utmost. That doesn’t diminish the effort and emotion I poured into this film.

Critics within Mexico were unimpressed by the portrayal of the infamous drug culture in the musical, as they found its interpretation of this sad and ongoing part of the nation’s sociopolitical situation to be unsettling.

The lead character in Gascón’s movie, who abandoned his former life as the ruthless drug lord Juan “Manitas” Del Monte following his transition, has faced criticism for reinforcing the harmful stereotype that transgender individuals are portrayed as villains, killers, or mentally unstable in classic Hollywood. In fact, back in November, GLAAD described it as a regressive representation of a trans woman and a step backwards.

In simpler terms, “Areli Vázquez, a 24-year-old psychology student, expressed her frustration to the Los Angeles Times following the film’s January release in Mexico. She felt that the movie didn’t provide a clear understanding about drug cartels, transgender issues, or missing persons; instead, it only offered a shallow perspective on these important matters. Similarly, Carmela Espinoza, a 67-year-old retired school teacher, found the film offensive and disrespectful towards Mexicans.

In his Jan. 23 column, LA Times writer Gustavo Arellano criticized French director Audiard for portraying Mexico City, one of the world’s magnificent cities, primarily as a series of indoor settings and taco stands. This is not surprising since most of the movie was filmed on sound stages in France. Additionally, Gustavo explains why GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) might be upset with Audiard for transforming a deeply personal choice like transitioning into a scene reminiscent of the popular TV show “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”, complete with patients wrapped in bandages shouting “Vaginoplasty!” and “Penoplasty!”.

In a January 15th interview with CNN en Espanol, Audiard addressed earlier criticism by saying, “If aspects of Emilia Pérez appear shocking to some viewers, I apologize. Film isn’t about providing solutions; it merely poses questions…However, perhaps the questions presented in Emilia Pérez might be misguided.

Instead of simply criticizing the film, Gascón encourages its detractors to step up and produce their own movies. She stated to Vanity Fair in December, “Being part of the LGBTQ community doesn’t make you any less intelligent, just as heterosexuality doesn’t make you any more intelligent.” What bothers her is that those who make such negative remarks are merely idle at home…Go ahead and create the representation for your community that you wish to see.

Simultaneously, nothing mentioned earlier stopped the film from earning numerous awards, even landing a record-breaking 13 Oscar nominations.

As a die-hard fan, I was taken aback by the fact that either people haven’t fully grasped the movie or they’re pretending to have seen it but misrepresenting its essence. That’s what Director Audiard shared with Deadline in an interview on February 5th. The portrayal of cartels in the film is symbolic, not a primary focus. There’s indeed one scene that touches upon it.

Opera, as he pointed out, demands a high degree of stylization. He remarked, “It appears I’m under fire in the realm of realism.” However, he clarified, “I’ve never professed an intention to create a piece that resembles reality.

If there was any disappointment, as Audiard pointed out, it stemmed from the fact that they couldn’t shoot the movie in Mexico; however, the financing opportunities were more favorable in France instead.

Amidst the whirlwind of events that unfolded, I couldn’t help but take notice when Gascón stirred quite a storm with her Jan. 21 interview to Brazil’s Folha de S. Paulo newspaper. In this conversation, she publicly criticized orchestrated online attacks aimed at Emilia Pérez, and it seemed to me that fans of fellow Best Actress nominee Fernanda Torres could potentially be the instigators of one such campaign.

Gascón expressed disapproval of social media teams who undermine the work of creators such as herself and her film, stating that it’s counterproductive. Instead, she believes that uplifting one’s own work doesn’t require putting others down. She clarified that she has always been respectful towards Fernanda Torres and her movie, but some of her team members are criticizing Emilia Pérez (me) and her project. This reflects more on their production than mine.

2025 Oscar nominees for Best Actress were disclosed on January 23, and both Gascón and “I’m Still Here” actor Torres are in the running alongside Demi Moore from “The Substance”, Mikey Madison from “Anora”, and Cynthia Erivo from “Wicked”.

Following the regulations set by the Academy, Gascón’s remarks regarding supposed backstage maneuverings did not infringe any rules. If he had criticized his fellow actress’ acting in the movie “I’m Still Here” or the film itself, it would have been a breach of those regulations.

Nevertheless, Gascón made her intent clear in a statement to Variety on January 29th. She said, “I am a big admirer of Fernanda Torres, and it’s been delightful getting to know her over the past few months. In my recent remarks, I was referring to the toxicity and hate speech on social media that unfortunately continues to be directed at me. Fernanda has been a wonderful ally, and no one associated with her has been anything but supportive and extremely generous.

For your information: Members of the Academy needed to submit their nomination ballots for the Oscars in 2025 by January 19 (following several delays due to the wildfires in the Los Angeles area). However, the voting deadline for selecting the winners was February 18.

In January, when Emilia Pérez clinched the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy), Gascón voiced his backing for underrepresented communities.

Light triumphs over shadow,” he said, who was the first trans actress to be nominated for a Golden Globe (though Torres won instead). “You may imprison us, or physically harm us, but you can never seize our spirit, our resilience, or our self-worth.

“Raise your voice,” the 52-year-old continued. “I am who I am. Know who you [are].”

With such a strong endorsement, Gascón appeared to be the perfect choice to boost Emilia Pérez’s chances during the start of the Oscars voting. However, just a week after she made history as the first openly trans individual nominated for an acting Oscar, trouble arose when her own digital past was brought into question.

On January 30, Canadian author Sarah Hagi shared several images of old tweets allegedly from Gascón, which read on topic X, “It’s astonishing that Karla Sofia Gascón still has these tweets. I have never seen tweets this racist from someone actively pursuing an ACADEMY AWARD. There are more than a dozen…” (The tweets were originally in Spanish, and Hagi provided English translations alongside them.)

They featured tweets (when it was still known as Twitter), which contained remarks disrespectful towards George Floyd, a proposal to ban Islam, and critiques on the perceived poor assimilation of Muslims in their home country, Spain.

In addition to this, Gascón took issue with the Oscars in 2021, expressing his thoughts on Twitter saying, “The #Oscars are starting to appear as a platform for independent and protest films. I wasn’t sure if I was watching an Afro-Korean festival, a Black Lives Matter rally, or the 8th of March event. Regardless, it was an extremely unattractive gala.

Gascón deactivated her X account and issued an apology via Netflix: “Being part of a marginalized group, I understand the pain this has caused, and I sincerely apologize to those affected. Throughout my life, I’ve strived for a better world, and I truly believe that light will ultimately conquer darkness.

But Gascón didn’t stop at her Netflix-sanctioned statement.

She announced on Jan. 31 that due to a campaign filled with hate and misinformation, which has negatively impacted her and her family, they’ve asked her to close her account on X. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, she explained that she’s been subjected to death threats, insults, abuse, and harassment to the point of exhaustion. She cherishes her daughter deeply and wants to protect her from this negativity as much as possible.

She often employed social media platforms like a personal journal, for reflections or jottings. Later, she’d shape these into narratives or character sketches. It wasn’t intended for close scrutiny, not even at the level of individual tweets, because sometimes I might write something unintentionally negative without realizing it myself.

Gascón expressed that she’s consistently advocated for every minority group worldwide and fought against oppression. She admitted that her language may not have been perfect at times, either because of lack of knowledge or simple error. “I apologize once more if anyone has ever felt hurt by my words or might feel this way in the future,” she added.

Additionally, she hinted that the reappearance of her tweets was no coincidence, suggesting that many find her achievements unsettling or troubling.

Gascón stated, “It’s evident there’s something deeply troubling about this situation. Let me assure you, the harder you attempt to undermine me, the more resilient I will become. The sweeter the triumph will taste.

Gascón firmly stated that he never referred to Gomez as a “wealthy rodent” in any tweet. He also distanced himself from an image that circulated online, which supposedly showed him commenting on a story refuting rumors of conflict between Gomez and Hailey Bieber.

In a February 2nd interview with CNN en Español, Gascón stated clearly, “It’s not something that belongs to me.” He further clarified, “I have never made any comments about my co-star, and I would never refer to her in such a manner.

Saldaña expressed that he does not endorse any form of racist or prejudiced speech targeting any community of people. This is the stance he chooses to uphold.

But she couldn’t help feeling “sad” that Gascón’s tweets were overshadowing the film.

Over and over again, I find myself expressing this thought because it’s been deeply felt within me since the events unfolded,” Saldaña expressed. “I must admit, I’m disheartened. I can’t vouch for other people’s actions. All I can verify is my personal experience, and I never imagined that we would find ourselves in this situation.

In her remarks, the star of “Avatar” expressed that she continued to feel the joy from our collective effort, stating, “We truly worked as a team.” However, she also emphasized that each one of us is an individual with personal accountability for every word and action.

At the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, where both Gomez and an unpresent Gascón received the Virtuosos Award, Gomez expressed that “a bit of the enchantment seems to have faded” following the movie’s premiere.

She expressed her ongoing pride in her accomplishments and gratitude during a panel on February 9th, stating that she has no regrets about her actions. If given the chance, she would gladly repeat making this movie.

In a recent episode of “The Town” on February 13, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria expressed disappointment over the distractions caused by Gascón’s tweets, stating that it was unfortunate for the one hundred exceptionally skilled individuals who produced an exceptional movie.

In response to accusations that they didn’t adequately screen the talent before featuring Gascón prominently, Bajaria stated that their awards team had run a remarkable campaign for that movie. She mentioned that several professionals in the industry were reconsidering their approach when it comes to personal social media accounts.

However, Bajaria stated, “Given all that I know now, I’d still choose to purchase the film today… It’s truly exceptional.

Audiard, however, did not hide his disappointment in a Feb. 5 interview with Deadline.

He found it difficult to recall the work he did with Karla Sofia. The bond we shared, the extraordinary camaraderie on set, which was built upon trust, was truly special. But when you encounter something a person has said that’s filled with hatred and deserving of contempt, naturally, that relationship is strained. It’s like taking a fall. Because what Karla Sofia said was unforgivable.

He hadn’t talked to her since the scandal erupted, he said, nor did he care to.

Audiard stated, “She appears to be adopting a destructive path that I’m unable to intervene in, and I genuinely can’t fathom why she persists with it.

He pointed out that her behavior wasn’t helping herself in any way. In fact, he explained, it was causing harm to the entire crew and everyone who had put so much effort into making this film. He mentioned himself, Zoe, and Selena specifically. He couldn’t comprehend why she persisted in hurting them. For now, he chose not to contact her because she needed time to reflect and take responsibility for her actions.

It’s clear that Gascón’s popularity during the awards season came to a halt early on, causing her to miss out on the Critics Choice Awards, BAFTAs, and SAG Awards.

Or:

Gascón’s stint as an awards-season favorite unfortunately didn’t last long, resulting in her absence from the Critics Choice Awards, BAFTAs, and SAG Awards.

She was present at the César Awards in France on February 25, and she intends to show up at the Oscars on March 2, as reported by CNN. However, it’s uncertain whether she will pause for a red carpet interview during the event.

Despite some unfavorable media attention, Saldaña continues to be seen as the front-runner for the Best Supporting Actress award. Furthermore, Emilia Pérez still has a strong chance of winning Best International Feature, having already triumphed in this category at both the Golden Globes and BAFTAs on February 16. Additionally, it may secure the Best Original Song accolade, given its double nominations for “El Mal” and “Mi Camino.

If only three out of its thirteen nominations result in victories, it’s performing better than some, as Martin Scorsese, for instance, has directed three films that all failed to win (placing him in the 3-for-13 club alongside The Curious Case of Benjamin Button).

Regardless, the competition for Best Picture has turned interesting as Anora clinched the same accolade at the Producers Guild of America Awards on February 8, while Conclave won Best Film at the BAFTAs and Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the SAG Awards on February 23.

It seems like ages since “The Brutalist” won Outstanding Motion Picture, Drama, at the Golden Globes, not to mention when “Emilia Pérez” triumphed in the musical or comedy category.

It feels as though a considerable amount of time has passed since “The Brutalist” was awarded Outstanding Motion Picture, Drama, at the Golden Globes, and “Emilia Pérez” won in the musical or comedy category.

Watch
TopMob News

weeknights Monday through Thursday at 11 p.m., only on TopMob.

Read More

2025-04-24 23:20