Eugenio Derbez has apologized to Selena Gomez after his harsh criticism of her performance in the Netflix musical movie Emilia Pérez. Derbez had previously called out Selena’s attempt to speak Spanish in the film during an appearance on the podcast Hablando de Cine, describing it as “indefensible.”
Selena, who is not a native Spanish speaker, responded gracefully to the criticism, acknowledging Derbez’s viewpoint and offering a sincere apology on TikTok, expressing that she did the best she could with the time and resources available to her. She emphasized the hard work and passion she poured into the film.
Eugenio took to TikTok to issue a formal apology, calling his remarks “careless” and “indefensible,” and stressing that they went against his core values of supporting fellow Latinos. He acknowledged his mistake, expressing deep admiration for Selena’s career and character. He also noted that Emilia Pérez should be celebrated and hoped his comments wouldn’t overshadow the film’s success.
Despite the initial controversy, the film is receiving positive recognition, including award nominations, and Selena’s performance has been praised, with her recently receiving the Spotlight Award at the IndieWire Honors for her work in Emilia Pérez. This suggests that the movie’s momentum, particularly in the awards season, remains strong.