Selena Gomez Reacts to Criticism Over her Spanish Accent in Emilia Pérez: 'I’m Sorry I Did the Best...'

Selena Gomez is keeping her head high despite the criticism of her Spanish role in Emilia Pérez. The Rare beauty mogul is opting to center on the experience and learning the role provided her instead of focusing on the backlash.

Gomez found herself under attack after the movie's release, with some spectators and pundits judging her use of a Spanish accent and challenging her cultural legitimacy as a Mexican American. Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez called her performance "indefensible" on TikTok.

Gomez herself replied on TikTok, both accepting the criticism but also pointing to the effort she had undertaken in her performance. She justified that although time limitations influenced her preparation, the effort and heart she devoted to the character were not lost.

She commented, "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."

In Emilia Pérez, Gomez played Jessi, an American bicultural musician who moves to Mexico to pursue a career. The character, similar in some regards to Gomez's own life experience, became the subject of criticism about her Spanish-language skills. The movie also came under further controversy after a journalist unearthed racist tweets from lead star Karla Sofía Gascón.

Despite being shrouded in negative publicity, Gomez's film received critical success and several Oscar nominations. Looking forward, Selena Gomez explained at the 2025 Santa Barbara Film Festival that she's being deliberate about selecting her next acting gig, looking for projects that will push her and enable her to make creative leaps, like Emilia Pérez did. 

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