Selena Gomez expressed relief that attention has shifted to her role in the new Mexican cartel musical “Emilia Pérez” rather than her personal life, during an interview with Reuters at the Cannes Film Festival. “It’s a relief. I’d rather somebody say I did a terrible job than talk about my personal life. So, I feel very proud,” Gomez said a day after the film’s premiere, which received a nine-minute standing ovation.
Gomez emphasized that she played just a small part in the “incredible masterpiece” that is “Emilia Pérez,” alongside Zoe Saldana and Karla Sofia Gascon. Directed by Jacques Audiard, the film explores the story of a Mexican drug lord who transitions from male to female and starts a nonprofit dedicated to finding the bodies of disappeared people. It is competing for the festival’s top prize, the Palme d’Or.
In addition to her film role, Gomez co-stars with Steve Martin and Martin Short in the Hulu streaming series “Only Murders in the Building.” She is also the most-followed woman on Instagram, with 428 million followers, which subjects her life to intense public scrutiny and generates headlines speculating about her personal relationships, as well as her mental and physical health.
The singer, who has been candid about having lupus and bipolar disorder, recently told NBC’s “Today” show that she has decided to limit comments on her account to only friends as a way to set boundaries.
