Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez star in Netflix’s new ‘Emilia Pérez’ trailer

Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez star in Netflix's new 'Emilia Pérez' trailer

As a movie buff with a soft spot for culturally rich and musically inclined films, I am thoroughly intrigued by the upcoming Netflix release, “Emilia Pérez”. Having spent a significant portion of my life in the vibrant melting pot that is Los Angeles, I can appreciate the Mexican scope and cultural depth showcased in this film. The fact that it’s directed by the acclaimed Jacques Audiard and features an ensemble cast including the talented Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, Edgar Ramírez, and the remarkable Karla Sofía Gascón, only adds to its allure.


A fresh, explosive Netflix preview featuring Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez positions them as the main characters in a lively, bilingual musical crime comedy that’s been dubbed an “outrageous, feverish fantasy” set in Spanish-speaking environments.

“Emilia Pérez,” a recent winner at Cannes Film Festival, presents the idea of ‘halves’ amidst a neutral setting. The characters’ true natures subtly unfold prior to the movie title being disclosed, culminating in scenes filled with gunshots and violence.

Critics have highly commended the suspenseful movie directed by Jacques Audiard, that earned an impressive 11-minute long standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival. This cinematic work won a jury prize and a joint best actress accolade, shared among its four main actresses.

In this heartfelt musical drama, Saldana plays Rita, a lawyer in Mexico who often gets overlooked. She’s hired by cartel leader Manitas to find the top professional for gender-affirming care, as they strive to live authentically. To discover a new identity and escape their past, Manitas feigns their death, undergoes gender reassignment surgery, and adopts the persona of Emilia Pérez, portrayed by the Spanish transgender actress, Karla Sofía Gascón.

As the years pass, the story takes an intriguing turn when the main character yearns to reconnect with her family, including her former wife Jessi, portrayed by Selena Gomez. A series of musical performances guide Pérez towards facing her past. The cast features Adriana Paz as Epifania and Edgar Ramírez as Gustavo, both prominent Latin actors.

Netflix secured the highly anticipated film, a potential Academy Awards winner, by outbidding other contenders with an $8 million bid after its premiere at Cannes.

The main character, Emilia Pérez, is part of a Mexican narrative, but most of the actual filming was carried out in a French studio, as director Audiard found shooting in Mexico too demanding, as reported by Agence France-Presse.

At a recent press event, actress Zoe Saldana, who has roots in both the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, expressed her admiration for the film’s deep exploration of Mexican culture. She shared that this cultural aspect holds a special place in her heart, following her residence in Los Angeles for over two decades, as she mentioned during a press conference at Cannes.

“[Audiard] presents a tale that reflects aspects present in Mexico, yet require enhancement in other regions,” Saldana commented. “However, he honors the culture, which is not only stunningly beautiful but also deeply rich and artistically vibrant.”

In her interview with Brut prior to the Cannes debut, Gomez confided that the most challenging aspect of her new film was the Spanish dialogue. For more than a year, she had been honing her skills, mainly working with her father, to overcome this hurdle.

“As a proud representative of my heritage, I couldn’t wait to immerse myself once again, and looking back, it was simply enchanting when I was young,” I reminisced.

32-year-old actress earned two Emmy nods: one for playing Mabel Mora in “Only Murders in the Building” as the leading actress in a comedy, and another for her role as executive producer of the same series in the ‘Best Comedy Series’ category.

“Starting November 1, ‘Emilia Pérez’ will be showing in selected cinemas, followed by its release on Netflix from November 13.”

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2024-08-27 04:01

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