Eugenio Derbez apologizes to Selena Gomez and walks back "careless comments" about her performance in Emilia Pérez

Actor and comedian Eugenio Derbez previously criticized Selena Gomez's performance in the Spanish film Emilia Pérez. Derbez said, per a December 7, 2024, Deadline article, that he liked the musical crime thriller except for Gomez's part playing the character of Jessi del Monter.

The comments were reportedly made while he was on Gaby Meza's podcast Hablemos de Cine. Eugenio Derbez also reportedly said:

"Selena is indefensible. I was there [watching the movie] with people, and every time a scene came [with her in it], we looked at each other to say, 'Wow, what is this?'"

Derbez questioned Selena Gomez for receiving awards for her dull performance. However, Derbez had a change of heart and apologized to the singer-actress. He took to TikTok on December 8 to publicly apologize for his previous statements, saying:

"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 not excuse. I was wrong, and I deeply admire your career and your kind heart."

Eugenio Derbez further shared some love over Selena Gomez's latest movie, saying that "Emilia Pérez deserves to be celebrated" and that it shouldn't be diminished by his "thoughtless remarks." He also acknowledged that he would understand if Gomez wouldn't be able to accept his apology but clarified that his message "comes from the heart."

Eugenio Derbez's public apology also comes after Selena Gomez defended herself from his previous criticisms. She commented in the viral TikTok video of Derbez from the podcast, saying that while she understands where the actor-comedian is coming from, she clarified that she did everything she could for the movie.

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Everything to know about Selena Gomez's movie Emilia Pérez amid Eugenio Derbez's criticism and apology

The Jacques Audiard Emilia Pérez movie came out in France in August 2024. It tells the story of Manitas del Monte (played by Karla Sofia Gascon), who is a Mexican cartel boss leaving the business to undergo a gender reassignment surgery and transform into the titular character.

It also stars Zoe Saldaña as the high-powered attorney, Rita, who gets an unexpected assignment of helping Manitas fake their death. Selena Gomez stars in the film as Jessi, Manitas' wife, whose life turns upside down with her husband's decisions.

When Manitas, now Emilia after the surgery, returns to Rita and Jessi's lives, the meeting upends all their circumstances all over again. Adriana Paz and Edgard Ramirez also take part in the movie.

Besides the acting, Emilia Pérez's plot revolves around its musical numbers that blend different genres, but all sung in Spanish. Despite Eugenio Derbez's criticisms over Selena Gomez's acting and for being not fluent in Spanish, Emilia Pérez remains a front-runner for 2024's Academy Awards, including Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture.

Speaking of Selena Gomez's acting, Audiard said in a Netflix article, published on November 13, 2024, about his first meeting with the Only Murders in the Building star in New York. Audiard said:

"I remembered her from Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers, but I hardly knew anything about her. In 10 minutes, I knew it would be her. I actually told her, and she wouldn't believe me. When we called her a year later to tell her that the film was greenlit, she thought I'd forgotten about her!"

Eugenio Derbez's criticisms aside, Audiard also praised the actresses in the film in a conversation with director Tom McCarthy, per the same Netflix article. He said that her actresses were "formidable" and he commended their openness to experimenting with the movie.

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Emilia Pérez is now available to stream on Netflix in the US, the UK, and Canada.