Selena Gomez has spoken out in defense of her performance in the musical crime drama Emilia Perez, following criticism from actor Eugenio Derbez. In an interview on a podcast, Derbez described Gomez’s portrayal of Jessi del Monte as “indefensible,” citing her struggle with speaking Spanish for the role.
Despite not being fluent in Spanish, Gomez took on the challenge of speaking the language in the film, which alternates between Spanish and English. A host of the Hablando de Cine podcast acknowledged Gomez’s acting talent but argued that the nuances of her performance were lost due to her non-native language skills.
Derbez expressed his disappointment with Gomez’s performance, suggesting that audiences might overlook its flatness due to their reliance on subtitles rather than understanding the original language. He also pointed out that the film’s director does not speak Spanish or English, which could have contributed to the film’s disconnection from its Mexican setting and culture.
However, in a response on TikTok, Gomez defended her performance, saying she “did the best I could with the time I was given” and expressed her disappointment that others would criticize her work. The film Emilia Perez, directed by Jacques Audiard, has received mixed reviews, but Gomez’s role as Jessi del Monte is notable for its bilingual nature.
Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/hollywood/selena-gomez-defends-her-performance-in-emilia-perez-after-eugenio-derbezs-criticism-i-did-the-best-i-could-101733657834243.html