Why Selena Gomez Didn’t Want to Be Treated Like Herself on Emilia Perez Movie Set

Selena Gomez wanted to go from people you know to people you don’t. 

The Only Murders in the Building star shared that it was cathartic to work with director Jacques Audiard on her forthcoming movie Emilia Perez because he didn’t let any preconceived notions about her sway how he treated her on set.

“I think it was genuinely his mind and how he works,” Selena exclusively told E! News’ Francesca Amiker at the Toronto International Film Festival’s premiere of Emilia Perez on Sept. 9. “He has this way of making me feel like, as an actor, I was a blank canvas.” 

In fact, the 32-year-old—who stars in the film alongside Zoe Saldana, Édgar Ramirez, Adriana Paz and Karla Sofia Gascón—felt like the moment that she stepped onto the shoot, he encouraged her to transform into her character Jessi Del Monte.

“He didn’t see me as anything other than Jessi,” Selena continued. “I loved that. I felt like I could be whoever I wanted to be.”

She added, “It was very empowering.”
And while Jacques supported Selena in her Emilia Perez role on set, she also had her mom Mandy Teefy cheering her on at home. 

“She’s been so supportive of all this,” the “Hands to Myself” singer shared, “and I’m so happy.