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Selena Gomez just said the quiet part out loud — Emilia Pérez doesn’t feel the same anymore.
At the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Sunday, February 9, the 32-year-old former Disney star was asked how she’s holding up amid the controversy surrounding her co-star Karla Sofía Gascón’s resurfaced comments on X (formerly Twitter).
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“I’m really good,” Gomez said during a Q&A. “Some of the magic has disappeared, but I choose to continue to be proud of what I’ve done, and I’m just grateful.”
The Wizards of Waverly Place alum made it clear she’s standing by the project, adding, “I live with no regrets and I would do this movie over and over again if I could.”
The drama surrounding Emilia Pérez escalated after old social media posts from Gascón, 52, made the rounds again, containing offensive remarks about Islam, George Floyd, and diversity at the Academy Awards. The Spanish actress — who made history as the first openly transgender performer nominated for an Oscar — denied some of the allegations and claimed certain posts had been fabricated.
“It’s not mine, of course,” Gascón said in a CNN en Español interview earlier this month when asked about a viral image of a 2022 post allegedly from her account. The post, which circulated online after being published by The Latin Times on Friday, January 31, appeared to call Gomez a “rich rat” while commenting on an article debunking feud rumors between the “Love You Like a Love Song” singer and Hailey Bieber.
“I have never said anything about my colleague,” Gascón added. “I would never refer to her that way.”
In addition to denying she ever insulted her co-star, the We Are the Nobles actress took to Instagram with a broad apology.
“I decided, for the film, for Jacques, for the cast, for the incredible crew who deserves it, for the beautiful adventure we all had together, to let the work talk for itself, hoping my silence will allow the film to be appreciated for what it is, a beautiful ode to love and difference,” she wrote on Friday, February 7.
Gascón ended the post with a heart emoji, adding, “I sincerely apologize to everyone who has been hurt along the way.”
