Selena Gomez took home the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival last night (May 25) for her role in the French-Mexican film Emilia Pérez. The pop sensation shares the honor with her co-stars Karla Sofia Gascón, Adriana Paz, and Zoe Saldaña.
Emilia Pérez, directed by Jacques Audiard ("A Prophet", "Rust and Bone"), is a musical crime comedy that tells the story of a woman tasked with helping an escaped Mexican cartel leader undergo sex reassignment surgery. The film premiered on May 18 to one of the festival's longest standing ovations and also snagged the Jury Prize. Netflix has since acquired it.
This prestigious win solidifies Gomez’s gradual pivot from music to acting. Earlier this year, she hinted at potentially quitting music to focus more on her acting career. Now, she's set to portray legendary musician Linda Ronstadt in an upcoming biopic and will reprise her role in the Disney sitcom "Wizards of Waverly Plac" for its sequel series.
Despite her acting focus, Gomez hasn't completely abandoned music. In February, she dropped her flirty new single "Love On," her first release of 2024, hinting at a possible fourth album.
Gomez also recently opened up about her mental health, sharing that she’s taken a step back from her online presence despite being the most followed woman on Instagram. “So I think I’ve created boundaries to help me. Obviously people fussed about it. They fuss about everything. I felt empowered by doing that, by saying, ‘This is just for me.’”
At a SXSW panel in Austin, Texas, the singer reflected on her 2022 documentary "My Mind & Me", discussing her hesitation about releasing it to the public. She’s been candid about hitting “rock bottom” with her mental health and has been an advocate for mental well-being.
Gomez also revealed her fandom for Kurt Cobain, telling Jimmy Kimmel that she once dyed and cut her hair to emulate him. “I kind of got obsessed and dyed my hair and cut my hair like him," she said, “I had posters of him on my walls and watched his interviews and performances repeatedly.”
PHOTO: MIKE MARSLAND/WIREIMAGE
