It’s hard to think of a better actress to play the iconic Selena Quintanillathan Jennifer Lopez in the equally emblematic 1997 film. And even back then, it seemed as though no one would ever be good enough to fill Selena's shoes (there were even boycott attempts after the casting choice).
And now, since she was one of the most important icons of our time and has recently enjoyed a new wave of celebrity as an icon of Latinx identity, it was just a matter of time before studios brought back the Queen of Tex Mex to our screens in whatever format possible. And Netflix ended up winning the rights to do the official biography.
It’s been a while since Netflix announced the upcoming Selena series, and after a long (really long) wait, we finally know who will be wearing the extravagant bustiers and glittery jumpsuits, and it’s none other than The Walking Deadalumni Christian Serratos. Honestly, you just need to take a look at her with the classic nineties hair with extra volume to see that she really looks like our Tex Mex Queen. Now, the question is: will she be able to embrace her unique bubbly personality?
Now, while there have already been other non-official Selena productions with some convincing look-a-like performers, there’s no doubt that, at the end of the day, you question the veracity of what’s shown, especially when they claim to be the truth behind the icon. Having said that, one would assume that wouldn’t be an issue with an official version. So, not only is this project fully approved by Selena’s family, but the Quintanilla’s are also producing the series, so it be a more authentic account of her story.
However, having the family involved in the biopic can be a double-edged sword that would, on one hand, show us their version of the events, as the main witnesses of Selena’s life, or we could just be seeing a washed-out story that will only keep the legend (quite a profitable one) intact. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what’s it going to be.
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And the wait will probably be a bit longer since the cast only started shooting last month. However, what we do know so far, besides the fact that Christian Serratos will be embodying our beloved Selena, is that the first part of the series will feature six episodes that will focus on Selena’s childhood (played by Madison Taylor Baez) and the family’s sacrifices to make the family's musical project succeed.
Other actors who have been confirmed are: Gabriel Chavarría (War of the Planet of the Apes) as Selena’s older brother A.B., Ricardo Chavira (Scandal) as her father, Noemi Gonzalez (The Vatican Tapes) as her sister, and Seidi Lopez (Training Day) as Selena’s mother. So, we can expect this first part to be all focused on the family and their roles in the making of the icon, rather than her struggle with fame and the tragedy of her death. So, we can say that. so far, it seems more respectful to her memory than the many morbid projects we’ve seen in the past years.
Here’s a first look at the Quintanilla family and Serratos in full character:
