After facing backlash for his criticism of Selena Gomez’s performance in Emilia Pérez, Eugenio Derbez has issued a heartfelt apology, following a response from Gomez herself.
The two-time Emmy nominee, who previously called Gomez’s acting “indefensible,” reevaluated his remarks after Gomez addressed the situation, saying, “I did the best I could with the time I was given.”
Taking to TikTok, Derbez expressed his regret, stating, “I truly apologize for my careless comments—they are indefensible and go against everything I stand for. As Latinos, we should always support one another. There’s no excuse. I was wrong, and I deeply admire your career and your kind heart.”
Derbez continued, acknowledging the importance of celebrating the film and its cast: “Emilia Pérez deserves to be celebrated, not diminished by my thoughtless remarks.
I’m walking away from this with an important lesson learned. While I understand if you cannot accept my apology, please know it comes from the heart. With all my love and admiration, Eugenio Derbez.”
Emilia Perez (Photo: Netflix)
The controversy began during Derbez’s appearance on the Hablando de Cine podcast, where he shared his candid thoughts on Gomez’s performance in the film. “Selena is indefensible,” he said, adding, “I [watched the film] with people, and every time she had a scene, we looked at each other to say to each other, ‘Wow, what is this?’”
Podcast host Gaby Meza chimed in, noting that while Gomez is “a very talented actress,” her lack of fluency in Spanish may have affected her performance. “Spanish is not her main language, not her secondary or fifth language,” Meza said.
“That’s why I feel like she doesn’t know what she’s saying. If she doesn’t know what she’s saying, she can’t give her acting any nuance.” Derbez agreed, saying, “I’m glad you’re saying it because I said, ‘Why is no one talking about that?’”
In response to the criticism, Gomez wrote, “I understand where you are coming from. I’m sorry—I did the best I could with the time I was given. Doesn’t take away from how much work and heart I put into this movie.”
Emilia Pérez is a musical crime drama written and directed by Jacques Audiard. The film features an ensemble cast including Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, Adriána Paz, Mark Ivanir, and Edgar Ramírez.
Gascón stars as a cartel leader who enlists a lawyer to help her disappear and transition into a woman. The film’s unique premise and talented cast have drawn attention, though the recent controversy has overshadowed its release.
