Selena Gomez has finaly opened up about the criticism from actor Eugenio Derbez regarding her performance in the bilingual musical crime drama Emilia Perez. She responded to Derbez pointing out her Spanish as indefensible, saying ‘I did my best.’
Eugenio Derbez Criticises Selena ‘What is this?’
Derbez, speaking on the Hablando de Cine podcast, described Gomez’s portrayal of Jessi del Monte as “indefensible,” citing her struggle with speaking Spanish in the role.
In Emilia Perez, Gomez plays Jessi, a character in a film that alternates between English and Spanish. While the singer-actress is not fluent in Spanish, she took on the challenge of performing in the language. However, Derbez, who starred in the Oscar-winning film CODA, found her efforts lacking.
“I watched the film with people, and every time she had a scene, we looked at each other and said, ‘Wow, what is this?'” Derbez remarked. He speculated that audiences might not recognize the flatness of Gomez’s performance due to reliance on subtitles rather than understanding the spoken language.
“She doesn’t know what she’s saying, so she can’t give her acting any nuance,” podcast host Gaby Meza agreed. Derbez supported this perspective, adding, “I’m glad you’re saying it because I wondered, ‘Why is no one talking about this?'”
Derbez also pointed out that Emilia Perez director Jacques Audiard, who is French, does not speak Spanish or English. He suggested this contributed to the film’s disconnection from its Mexican setting and culture. “It’s like making a film in Russian without understanding the culture or language while speaking in French,” he said.
Despite the critique, Derbez noted the film had “salvageable things” aside from Gomez’s performance.
Selena Gomez Reacts ‘I Did My Best’
Gomez responded to the backlash after a clip from the podcast circulated on TikTok. In a comment reported by Deadline, she wrote, “I understand where you are coming from. 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.”
Emilia Perez, written and directed by Audiard, features a cast that includes Zoe Saldana, Adriana Paz, Mark Ivanir, and Edgar Ramirez. The plot centers on a cartel leader who seeks a lawyer’s help to disappear and transition into a woman.
While Gomez’s efforts have drawn mixed reactions, the actress has previously been praised for her performances, including a nomination for Only Murders in the Building.
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