Interviewer: “Guys, congratulations on the film, it’s fantastic! Congratulations on the role as well and on the Spanish representation this year. I loved it because musicals are usually musical, but this one was different. Tell me, how did Selena start with you? How did you prepare for such a complex role that involved music?”

Selena: “I think it starts with trust because this isn’t my music, I’ve never done musical before. This is very new for me. But I trusted Jack and his vision and how he wanted to tell the story. Sometimes I was shocked, sometimes I would think, ‘Oh wow, okay, this is what we’re going to do.’ I’m going to jump out of bed and throw everything, and it was so liberating. I found it to be really fun and a learning experience for me.”

Interviewer: “And you haven’t acted in Spanish before, right?”

Selena: “No, never. It was a big challenge because it’s such a complex social issue, but I felt very proud to represent a part of my life that I’ve never been able to express other than through music. I’ve released a whole album in Spanish, I’ve released music for years, but to be able to put it on screen was a gift. It wasn’t easy at times reflecting on where my family comes from, but I’m so grateful for the women that raised me, who paved the way.”

Interviewer: “Your role was so complex, you were in the right place, but at the wrong time. Tell me about that and how you prepared for it. And how was it working with Selena?”

Co-star: “For me, my character is a catalyst for a lot of actions in the story, reaching the climax. It comes to life towards the end of the movie. I was very open to what Jack wanted and what the environment and the set gave me. I knew I was playing a somewhat violent character, but one that is truly falling in love with Selena’s character. And working with her, I have to say, I discovered my character in her eyes. Honestly, the phone call she made to me really got to me. That freedom you were talking about is crucial for me. Ultimately, this is a movie about freedom—the freedom to choose who you want to be, to be your truest self. I think that’s what we all want in life: to be free.”

Interviewer: “Yes, it’s about women regaining their identity and their emotional, social, and sexual agency.”

Co-star: “Exactly, and that phone call that you referred to is a raw, beautiful way of saying, ‘This is who I am. I am a sexual being, and this is what I feel.’ Historically, this hasn’t always been the case, but it’s changing. This movie is helping show women as fully formed sexual individuals who can claim their own agency, not just as part of a relationship with a man. I loved how poetically and raw the pursuit of freedom in this movie is.”