Selena Gomez Defends Her Performance in Emilia Perez Amid Criticism from Eugenio Derbez: ‘I Gave It My All’

Selena Gomez has defended her portrayal of Jessi del Monte in the musical crime drama “Emilia Perez,” directed by Jacques Audiard, following criticism from actor Eugenio Derbez. In a recent episode of the Hablando de Cine podcast, Eugenio called Selena’s performance “indefensible,” highlighting her struggles with Spanish dialogue in the bilingual film. Despite not being fluent in Spanish, Selena embraced the challenge of speaking the language for her role, a decision that Eugenio found problematic. He mentioned watching the film with others who also reacted negatively to her scenes.

The podcast host, Gaby Meza, acknowledged Selena’s acting abilities, citing her nominations for “Only Murders in the Building,” but noted that her lack of fluency in Spanish affected the nuances of her performance. Eugenio agreed, questioning why Selena’s performance had not faced more scrutiny, especially given her recognition in award circuits. He speculated that viewers might rely on subtitles rather than understanding the original language, leading to an overlooked flatness in her acting.

Eugenio also commented on the film’s direction, pointing out that Jacques Audiard does not speak Spanish or English, which he believed contributed to the film’s cultural disconnection. Despite his critique of Selena’s scenes, Eugenio found other aspects of the film salvageable. He likened the situation to making a Russian film without understanding the culture or language.

After a clip from the podcast was shared on TikTok, Selena responded directly to the criticism. She expressed understanding of the critique, apologizing and stating that she did her best with the time she had, emphasizing the effort and heart she put into the movie.

“Emilia Perez” features a cast including Zoe Saldana, Adriana Paz, Mark Ivanir, and Edgar Ramirez. The plot centers on a cartel leader seeking to disappear and transition into a woman with the help of a lawyer.