The actor-singer-entrepreneur stars in Emilia Pérez, the new Spanish-language musical about a cartel boss who undergoes gender-affirming surgery. Gomez talks with Tonya Mosley about re-learning Spanish, her Disney years, and working alongside comedy legends Martin Short and Steve Martin in Only Murders in the Building. Also, Ken Tucker shares three great country songs: Maren Morris' "People Still Show Up," Dwight Yoakam's "A Dream That Never Ends," and Shawna Thompson's "Lean On Neon."Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Chapter 1: What is Selena Gomez's new film about?
This is Fresh Air. I'm Tanya Mosley, and I recently had the chance to check out the movie Amelia Perez, the new Spanish-language musical that stars my guest today, Selena Gomez. The film is centered on a lawyer named Rita, played by Zoe Saldana, who is kidnapped and tasked with helping a ruthless Mexican cartel leader secretly undergo gender-affirming surgery to begin a new life as Amelia Perez.
Chapter 2: How did Selena prepare for her Spanish role?
Selena Gomez plays Jessie Del Monte, the wife of the cartel leader, who knows nothing about her husband's transition and is led to believe that Emilia Perez is a distant cousin. The film is almost entirely in Spanish, and Gomez, who grew up speaking it but lost fluency, took lessons to prepare for the role. Here she is singing a stirring performance of Bienvenida, which means welcome.
Bienvenida a tu país amado, bonita. A tu lujosa cárcel, primita. Donde todo es caro, encantada. Y gracias a la familia, bienvenida. Sé amable, saluda, querida. A tu tía matrona y mía. A las nuevas custodias, primita De tu jaula dorada bienvenida
That's Selena Gomez singing in the new Netflix movie musical Amelia Perez. As an ensemble, Gomez, along with Zoe Saldana and Carla Sofia Gascon, who portrays both Amelia Perez and the cartel leader before she transitions, won the Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize for Best Actress. Selena Gomez is an actor, singer, and the founder of the successful cosmetic line Rare Beauty.
She began acting in 2002 at 10 years old on the television series Barney and Friends. She went on to star in several Disney shows before her breakout role in the series The Wizards of Waverly Place. As a musician, she's had 16 consecutive top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, the longest active run of any artist. And she's the most followed woman on Instagram.
Chapter 3: What personal challenges has Selena faced?
We talked about some of her struggles with such a high level of fame and her diagnosis of lupus and bipolar disorder. Gomez was nominated for an Emmy Award for her role in the mystery comedy series Only Murders in the Building alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short. Selena Gomez, welcome to Fresh Air.
Thank you. That was such a lovely introduction.
I was wondering, you spent, was it nearly half a year, training, preparing for this role, learning Spanish. You actually grew up speaking Spanish until something happened. It took a turn when you weren't speaking it anymore.
I was fluent when I was seven, and before then, all up until then. But I got my first job at seven, and most of my jobs from that point on were English. And I moved from Texas to California to pursue my dream with Disney. And I, again, just lost it. And that's kind of the case for a lot of people, especially Mexican-American, I think. you know, my cousins and people and our lives.
It's so dominated by English speaking people, which is fine. But I wish I had had more. I wish I just knew a lot more than I do. But I think that's why I try to honor my culture as much as possible from releasing an album in Spanish to, you know, wanting to pursue this movie that I thought would be an incredible challenge and I don't think it'll be the last thing I do in Spanish.
Do you feel more fluent in it now?
I do. And don't try to talk anything around me because I will know what you're saying if you think that I can. I just have a hard time responding sometimes to like form the sentence correctly.
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Chapter 4: How did Selena's childhood influence her career?
Right, because even though you weren't speaking it, did you feel like you could understand it when you heard other folks speak it? Completely.
It's also, you know, Spanish is one of the most beautiful languages, and the inflections and the melody behind how they speak, it's very telling, and it's a very emotional language, I think.
Mm-hmm.
Let's talk a little bit about the themes in the movie. She's looking for freedom because she's married to this very brutal drug kingpin. And so all the things that go along with that life. She has two children by him. It's not explicitly said, but it seems as if maybe she got married when she was very young to him. That's correct. There's a transformation there.
with your husband from male to female, but there's also a transformation of this character. She's like a dormant volcano of a wife. And we watch her as she goes through. And I want to play a clip. And this clip I'm about to play... It's several years after her husband has had the transition. She thinks he's dead.
She goes back to Mexico and she connects with a man who really is the love of her life. And in this scene, the two of you, this man, you and this man, you all are in a club and you're singing the song Mi Camino. Let's listen.
Si me cago en la barranca, es mi barranca. Si me doblo de dolor, es mi dolor. Si me mando al séptimo cielo, es mi cielo. Si me equivoco, te camino igual.
Cuando salgo mucho de fiesta, cuando me porto
Como una... Cuando soy la señora perfecta Cuando digo sí para decir no
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Chapter 5: What is the dynamic of working with Martin Short and Steve Martin?
Right, because you're taking in all the lessons that you all are teaching us, too. Totally. Acting is your first love. Music is also what you are known for worldwide. Huge fan base. You've called it a hobby that kind of got out of control.
Yeah, and I think I need to correct that because I think whenever I do interviews that are written, I think it's very challenging for me because it gets a little misunderstood. Music is going to forever be a part of my soul. I was named after a Tejano singer. My dad was a DJ. My mom listened to Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Bonnie Raitt.
I grew up around music and every genre. So what I meant by that was... It did kind of, you know, take over for a while. And it's not that I was upset or bothered by it. It was more so that I had missed and I was really craving something different. So I think that may have gotten a little...
you know, confusing because it doesn't, you know, to me when I hear that, it makes me seem ungrateful, but it's not. So I'm glad you brought that up because, you know, that is something that I love deeply. I just really missed being on a set and creating content that had nothing to do with me.
Well, for those who don't watch it, Only Murders in the Building, the Hulu series, is centered on you, Martin Short, and Steve Martin. You guys are a trio of residents in this really beautiful Upper West Side apartment building called the Arconia. And you set out to investigate a string of murders in the building and start a true crime podcast to chronicle those.
the investigation Martin Short has said like in all of the interviews just how much fun you guys have on the set he alludes it to being kind of exceptional in that way what makes it fun well first off um
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Chapter 6: How does Selena feel about her music career?
Chapter 7: What makes the themes in 'Amelia Perez' resonate?
do the old cover your you know ears nice like be careful and so yeah she was young maybe I shouldn't have watched some of the things I did however I think I fell in love with it for the right reasons it was a whole range of different styles and we'd watch you know French films or we'd watch anything that kind of sparked something in my mom and she would explain things to me and I would always ask questions and
I was inquisitive about the work and it wasn't just an experience for me. I wanted to know everything. And I think that's where it kind of stemmed from.
Do you remember the first time you were on stage, your first performance?
Yeah, the funny thing is, is I wasn't in any school plays necessarily. I was seven when I auditioned for Barney, which is the big purple dinosaur, if people don't remember. But I was in line. It was 1,400 kids, and it was in Texas. And I waited in line for a while and I just thought, here's my chance. I could do something really cool.
You thought that in the moment.
Yeah. I just thought, this is something I really want to do and I hope I get it. And I went to three rounds of callbacks. They were very serious about that party back in the day. And I got the part and it would have to be the first time I stepped foot on the set of Barney. It was magical. Not to mention I'm seven and they make it for kids. You know, they make it this beautiful thing.
The experience and the sets are gorgeous. I just got the bug immediately. I had school there as well, a bunch of kids I got to grow up with. And at the same time, maybe Barney taught me how to clean and how to say I love you.
Right, because you're taking in all the lessons that you all are teaching us, too. Totally. Acting is your first love. Music is also what you are known for worldwide. Huge fan base. You've called it a hobby that kind of got out of control.
Yeah, and I think I need to correct that because I think whenever I do interviews that are written, I think it's very challenging for me because it gets a little misunderstood. Music is going to forever be a part of my soul. I was named after a Tejano singer. My dad was a DJ. My mom listened to Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Bonnie Raitt.
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Chapter 8: How has Selena's relationship with her co-stars evolved?
I don't lock my door. Never have.
That's insane. Neighborly. I mean, a murderer probably lives in the building, but I guess old white guys are only afraid of colon cancer and societal change. Sad.
A murderer doesn't probably live in the building. A murderer definitely lives in the building. Lester checked all the security footage, and no one unknown to him came in or out during the hours around Tim's murder. Isn't that great for the podcast? So, Mabel, tell us. Did you learn anything from the online world of Tim Kono?
He didn't post much in his online world. He seems to have had a really sad, quiet life.
You checked all the websites?
Yep, all the websites.
Well, we've exhausted the Internet.
That's my guest, Selena Gomez, with Martin Short and Steve Martin in the very popular Hulu series, Only Murders in the Building. Selena, there's such a tenderness to your relationships with those guys. That seems like it's only grown over the seasons. I was watching, I think I saw you and Martin Short on a TV show recently, and you were showing him how to put on makeup from your rare beauty line.
And it felt natural and connected, like you all are your friends.
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