TONYA MOSLEY, HOST:
This is FRESH AIR. I'm Tonya Mosley. The Netflix Spanish-language musical film "Emilia Perez" centers on a drug cartel leader who decides to undergo gender affirmation surgery and start a new life with a new identity as Emilia Perez. My guest, Selena Gomez, stars as Jessi Del Monte, the wife who was forced to start a new life of her own after her husband disappears. The film is almost entirely in Spanish. And in preparation for the role, Gomez had to brush up on her Spanish after losing fluency as a kid once she started acting. "Emilia Perez" leads in the Golden Globe Film categories with 10 total nominations, including Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy and Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for Gomez.
Gomez got her start in acting at 10 years old when she was on the television series "Barney And Friends." She went on to star in several Disney shows before her breakout role in the series "The Wizards Of Waverly Place." Since 2021, she has starred alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short as true crime enthusiasts-turned-podcasters and crime solvers in the Hulu comedy series "Only Murders In The Building." The series is currently nominated for three Golden Globe Awards, including Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy TV Series for Gomez. Gomez is also a two-time Grammy nominated musician. She's had 16 consecutive top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, the longest active run of any artist. My interview with Selena Gomez was recorded in November.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
MOSLEY: Selena Gomez, welcome to FRESH AIR.
SELENA GOMEZ: Thank you. That was such a lovely introduction.
MOSLEY: Let's talk a little bit about the themes in the movie. She's looking for freedom because she's married to this very brutal drug kingpin - and so all the things that go along with that life. She has two children by him. It's not explicitly said, but it seems as if maybe she got married when she was very young to him.
GOMEZ: That's correct.
MOSLEY: There's a transformation with your husband from male to female, but there's also a transformation of this character. She's, like, a dormant volcano of a wife. And I want to play a clip. In this clip, I'm about to play, it's several years after her husband has had the transition. She thinks he's dead. She goes back to Mexico, and she connects with a man who really is the love of her life. And in this scene, the two of you, this man - you and this man - you all are in a club. And you're singing the song "Mi Camino." Let's listen.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "EMILIA PEREZ")
GOMEZ: (As Jessi Del Monte, singing in Spanish).
MOSLEY: That's my guest, Selena Gomez, singing the song "Mi Camino" in the musical film "Emilia Perez." OK, Selena, this is a liberation song.
GOMEZ: It is. It's so beautiful. I'm so proud of it.
MOSLEY: The words - I'm going to read a little bit of the words in English. If I fall into the ravine, it's my ravine. If I double the pain, it's my pain. If I send myself to the seventh heaven, it's my heaven. If I lose my way, it's still mine. I want to love myself. It's a liberation song. And to me, without, like, being too sappy about it, I feel like it sounds familiar to your life path. Do you see that?
GOMEZ: Yeah. Actually, I do. It's - it was one of the most emotional songs that I got to record during the process of shooting this movie. And I remember just singing it and thinking to myself, this could have been my song. You know? This could have been a, you know, me song on an album I would put out personally because it's so well-said. And it feels very true to who I am, to where I am. I think that when I do make mistakes, I don't feel like I should or necessarily need to be punished for them. It's something that I feel like I need to grow and learn from. And I think that sometimes there's been moments in my career where people weren't allowing me to grow up, weren't allowing me to make choices that, you know, wasn't exactly what they thought I should be doing.
MOSLEY: Acting, as you said, has always been your first love. We're going to get into some things. Like, I can't believe "Girl, Interrupted" is one of the first films you saw. Like, what?
GOMEZ: I'm sorry, Mom.
MOSLEY: I know.
GOMEZ: Sorry. Yeah. No. My mom was - you know, she was so just - I just remember feeling like she was the coolest person ever. She's still cool. But as a kid, I looked up to her so much.
MOSLEY: But she kind of was - I mean, she was 16 when she had you, so she was a young mom.
GOMEZ: Oh, yeah.
MOSLEY: She was a young, cool mom.
GOMEZ: We were like sisters...
MOSLEY: Yeah.
GOMEZ: ...In a way. And she loved everything about art. And I remember sometimes she would let me watch things, but she would do the old, cover your, you know, ears and eyes. Like, be careful. And so, yeah, she was young. Maybe I shouldn't have watched some of the things I did. However, I think I fell in love with it for the right reason. So it was a whole range of different styles, and we'd watch, you know, French films, or we'd watch anything that kind of sparked something in my mom. And she would explain things to me, and I would always ask questions, and I was inquisitive about the work. And it wasn't just an experience for me. I wanted to know everything. And I think that's where it kind of stemmed from.
MOSLEY: Do you remember the first time you were on stage, your first performance?
GOMEZ: Yeah. The funny thing is I wasn't in any school plays necessarily. I was 7 when I auditioned for "Barney," which is the big, purple dinosaur, if people don't remember. But I was in line. It was 1,400 kids, and it was in Texas. And I waited in line for a while, and I just thought, here's my chance. I could do something really cool. And...
MOSLEY: You thought that in the moment.
GOMEZ: Yeah. I just thought, this is something I really want to do, and I hope I get it. And I went to three rounds of callbacks. They were very serious about "Barney" back in the day. And I got the part, and it would have to be the first time I stepped foot on the set of "Barney." It was magical, not to mention I'm 7, and they make it for kids. You know, they make it this beautiful experience, and the sets are gorgeous. I just got the bug immediately. I had school there as well, a bunch of kids I got to grow up with. And at the same time, maybe Barney taught me how to clean and how to say I love you (laughter).
MOSLEY: Right, because you're taking in all the lessons that you all are teaching us, too.
GOMEZ: Totally.
MOSLEY: Acting is your first love. Music is also what you are known for worldwide, huge fan base. You've called it a hobby that kind of got out of control (laughter).
GOMEZ: Yeah. And I think I need to correct that because I think whenever I do interviews that are written, I think it's very challenging for me because it gets a little misunderstood. Music is going to forever be a part of my soul. I was named after a Tejana singer. My dad was a DJ. My mom listened to Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Patsy Cline, you know, Dolly Parton, Bonnie Raitt. Like, I grew up around music in every genre. So what I meant by that was it did kind of, you know, take over for a while. And it's not that I was upset or bothered by it. It was more so that I had missed and I was really craving something different. I just really missed being on a set and creating content that had nothing to do with me.
MOSLEY: We're listening to the interview I recorded with actor and singer Selena Gomez in November. She's nominated for two Golden Globe Awards for her performances in the Netflix musical film "Emilia Perez" and the Hulu comedy series "Only Murders In The Building." More of our conversation after a break. This is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF THE BAD PLUS' "THE BEAUTIFUL ONES (INSTRUMENTAL)")
MOSLEY: This is FRESH AIR. Let's get back to my interview with actor and singer Selena Gomez. She's nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her role in the film "Emilia Perez." The film is nominated for a total of 10 Golden Globes. The award ceremony is on Sunday.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
MOSLEY: Well, for those who don't watch it, "Only Murders In The Building," the Hulu series, is centered on you, Martin Short and Steve Martin. You guys are a trio of residents in this really beautiful Upper West Side apartment building called the Arconia. And you set out to investigate a string of murders in the building and start a true crime podcast to chronicle the investigation. Martin Short has said, like, in all of the interviews just how much fun you guys have on the set. He alludes it to being kind of exceptional in that way. What makes it fun?
GOMEZ: Well, first off, Steve Martin and Martin Short are legends in their own right.
MOSLEY: (Laughter) Yes.
GOMEZ: And it is very difficult to keep a straight face when you're talking to them about anything because they simply exude and radiate comedy, if that makes sense.
MOSLEY: How do you do it? - 'cause you're the straight man of the three.
GOMEZ: I know. But, I mean, I just have to - I got to get through it. You know, once we do the table read and they'll chime in, it is challenging. But I think the best part of "Only Murders" is the environment. And I think that's what Marty is referring to because these two actors, who have been working longer than I've been alive, are always on time, could not be more compassionate and kind to everyone, class-act intelligence. Their humor is smart and wise. And they'll sit down and talk to, you know, our camera guy and ask how his daughter's doing. And it just, to me, was a very good place for me to start back into acting. It just was safe, and it was so fun. And they made it feel like it was - they just made it feel like it was home.
MOSLEY: I want to play a clip from Season 1. So you all live in the same apartment, and you don't really know each other that well, but you're starting to come into this idea that something really fishy is happening. Here, your character Mabel is joining the two others in Oliver's apartment. And Oliver is played by Martin Short, and Charles is played by Steve Martin. Let's listen.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING")
STEVE MARTIN: (As Charles-Haden Savage) Oh. How did you get here?
GOMEZ: (As Mabel Mora) It was open.
MARTIN SHORT: (As Oliver Putnam) I don't lock my door, never have.
MARTIN: (As Charles-Haden Savage) That's insane.
SHORT: (As Oliver Putnam) Neighborly.
GOMEZ: (As Mabel Mora) I mean, a murderer probably lives in the building, but I guess old white guys are only afraid of colon cancer and societal change. Sad.
MARTIN: (As Charles-Haden Savage) A murderer doesn't probably live in the building. A murderer definitely lives in the building. Lester checked all the security footage, and no one unknown to him came in or out during the hours around Tim's murder.
SHORT: (As Oliver Putnam) Isn't that great for the podcast?
MARTIN: (As Charles-Haden Savage) So, Mabel, tell us. Did you learn anything from the online world of Tim Cono?
GOMEZ: (As Mabel Mora) He didn't post much in his online world. He seems to have had a really sad, quiet life.
MARTIN: (As Charles-Haden Savage) You checked all the websites?
GOMEZ: (As Mabel Mora) Yep, all the websites.
MARTIN: (As Charles-Haden Savage) Well, we've exhausted the internet.
(LAUGHTER)
MOSLEY: That's my guest Selena Gomez with Martin Short and Steve Martin in the very popular Hulu series "Only Murders In The Building." Selena, there's such a tenderness to your relationships with those guys that seems like it's only grown over the seasons. I was watching - I think I saw you and Martin Short on a TV show recently, and you were showing him how to put on makeup from your Rare Beauty line.
GOMEZ: Yeah.
MOSLEY: And it felt natural and connected, like you all are - are you friends?
GOMEZ: Yes, and it's an absolute joy. They'll joke and laugh and say, oh, we didn't know what to expect when we met Selena. But I don't know.
GOMEZ: Selena. But - I don't know - by the first week of us working together, they really took me under their wing. They didn't make me feel separate because I was younger. They made me feel incredibly included. If they would change a joke or want to try something different, they would always incorporate me into the conversation. And they respected me. And I felt safe. You know, these are gentlemen that want nothing from me but to have a great experience at work and create bonds with everybody on set. And they disarm people by their kindness.
So, yeah, I've done interviews or I've been upset on days of, you know, working if I got bad news, and they're protective. They listen. They give great advice. That's something I'll cherish. It could have been totally different. It could have been, you know, hard to connect, but they are genuinely wonderful people. And it's just been a huge blessing 'cause - I get emotional thinking about it 'cause I really do love them, and they care about me a lot.
MOSLEY: Meryl Streep starred in Season 3, and you mentioned how in awe you were those first days on the set. What did you learn working with her?
GOMEZ: Oh, class act - absolute class act. I always tell this story about her because I think it just sums who she is up really well. She was on set, and because, of course, she's Meryl, we wanted to shoot her out so that she would have a shorter day out of respect for her and her schedule. So we would shoot her scenes, and then, you know, we could say, OK, you can go home. And someone would, you know, replace her, and they would do the other actors. She refused. She said, no, I'm staying for all the actors.
And it was probably 13 hours that she was on that set, and the camera wasn't on her once. And she was thrilled to be there. She was so, like, communicative to everyone. She would walk around barefoot, humming music, listening to folk music. She doesn't take herself too seriously. You know, she's - something - she wrote a comment about something that said that she was overrated, and she laughed. And she goes, well, maybe they're right. You know...
MOSLEY: (Laughter).
GOMEZ: Like, she just has a good sense of humor about the icon that she is, and she doesn't look at herself that way. And I like that.
MOSLEY: We're listening to the interview I recorded with actor Selena Gomez in November. She's currently nominated for two Golden Globe Awards for her performances in the Spanish-language musical film "Emilia Perez" and the comedy TV series "Only Murders In The Building." More of our conversation after a break. This is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF BRIAN ENO AND JOHN CALE SONG, "SPINNING AWAY")
MOSLEY: This is FRESH AIR. Let's get back to my interview with actor and singer Selena Gomez. She stars in the Spanish-language film "Emilia Perez," which is nominated for 10 Golden Globe Awards. Gomez is nominated for best supporting actress in a motion picture.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
MOSLEY: You're 32 years old, right?
GOMEZ: Yes.
MOSLEY: And you have so many firsts. And your first not only - I mentioned the Billboard 100. You also were one of the 10 highest-paid children TV stars of all time.
GOMEZ: Oh, dear. I don't even think I've read that anywhere.
MOSLEY: Oh, that one's not on your list of, like, your firsts.
GOMEZ: (Laughter).
MOSLEY: But your role on the Disney show, "Wizards Of Waverly" - I got the sense from your 2022 documentary, "My Mind And Me," that you have kind of a complicated relationship with your Disney years, that it made you feel like a product. In what ways did it feel like that?
GOMEZ: I think during the period I was shooting the documentary, the context of what I felt was unfair is that I don't regret or dislike Disney. I think Disney gave me my platform, and I will forever owe them for that because I was able to do incredible things - doesn't mean that I wasn't frustrated with other people. So my frustration has not necessarily ever been with Disney. It's just been with the idea that people would not take anything I was saying not seriously. If it was me talking about philanthropy, if it was me wanting to talk about something important, it was, do you like marshmallows? And, you know, so you were on Disney. And it's like they just - it just felt so crippling. And I, at that point when I shot the documentary, hadn't moved on into doing other things. So I just was a little frustrated.
MOSLEY: I had a chance to talk with Tyler James Williams a few months ago, another child actor who has gone on to do great things. And like you, he says, like, he really couldn't imagine himself doing anything else in life. From a very young age...
GOMEZ: Yeah.
MOSLEY: ...He knew that was what he wanted. But he also talked about some of the dark sides of being a child actor. And he survived because of his parents...
GOMEZ: Yeah.
MOSLEY: ...He says. He feels like, though, this is an industry that is not really for children...
GOMEZ: Right.
MOSLEY: ...That it eats them up and spits them out. You have been able to have a successful career. And he finds, I just want to say, like...
GOMEZ: Yeah.
MOSLEY: He said he thinks that anyone who has come out of it whole is a success, even if you're not in show business. And...
GOMEZ: I like that. That's very nice.
MOSLEY: Yeah. I want to know how you feel about that because it seems that folks like Tyler have a complicated relationship with even the use of children in Hollywood.
GOMEZ: Yeah. I mean, I think my perspective goes both ways. You know, I think that there is a point in your life where you have to just - you have to let yourself be a kid. And I think the dark sides that, you know, I would reflect on is the fact that I couldn't have a private life. I couldn't necessarily do things because I was held to a specific standard of, like, you know, I'm a Disney kid, and children look up to me. And all of that stuff was really difficult. I just - I don't want to necessarily - I guess I'm just trying to think about this because I know that there are incredible actors that have come out of this whole industry. But I think you can say that about anything sometimes.
I guess what I'd say is I am actually glad that my sister doesn't want to do that right now, at least. I just think it is pretty dangerous. You're around adults. People say things. People, you know, do things that maybe you just shouldn't be exposed to. The moment I first started experiencing fame, it wasn't something that I thought was cool. It got really, you know, weird for me. I felt uncomfortable. I remember being 15 at the beach with my family. And it was one of the first times there were, like, five grown men taking photographs of me coming out of the water. And I was sitting there, and my stepdad got really upset because something seems extremely wrong with that. I'm underage. I'm - so just to me, that's the stuff that I don't think is right. And I just - it threw me off for a bit.
MOSLEY: Sounds like your mother, your family protected you.
GOMEZ: They did. And here's the thing. My parents did the best with what they got, and they were 16 and 15, and they did their best. And it wasn't always perfect, but they, especially my mom and my stepdad, specifically made sure that they held up these boundaries that sometimes I'd get mad at, but they were necessary. You know, for example, you're inviting kids to this beautiful premiere. And they're walking the carpet and experiencing all this attention, and that can be overwhelming. Then they have the after party. And that's when kids can come and all the adults start drinking and all this stuff starts going on. At a very young age, my mom said, you're there to walk the carpet for your job, but then you're going home. And I'd always say, well, they're going to stay, and my other friends get to stay. She said, you're not old enough. When you're old enough, you'll go to the parties and have all the fun, but right now you're going home. And you can invite a friend over and just be - watch a movie. You know, and I do have to say she was very good at that stuff and - sorry, I'll just add - and in rooms. My mom never let me go into any room without her.
MOSLEY: You mean, like, an audition room or a room to practice or a room...
GOMEZ: Room for, like, meetings.
MOSLEY: Yeah.
GOMEZ: Room for anything - not necessarily auditions, but I did a lot on tape. So - but she was right by the door. You know, my mom was very protective of me in the best possible way. And though maybe it didn't make much sense to me then, I could not be more grateful now.
MOSLEY: Yeah. Selena Gomez, this has been such a pleasure to talk with you.
GOMEZ: It's been so nice.
MOSLEY: My interview with Selena Gomez was recorded in November. She's nominated for two Golden Globe Awards for best supporting actress in the Spanish musical film "Emelia Perez" and for best actress in the TV series "Only Murders In The Building."
The Golden Globes are on Sunday, and the ceremony will be hosted by comic Nikki Glaser. She's known for her scathing jokes at celebrity roasts, including the roast of Tom Brady, which made headlines. Tomorrow, to end our series of our favorite interviews of 2024, we'll listen back to Terry's interview with Glaser. I hope you can join us. And if you'd like to catch up on interviews you missed this week, like our conversations with actors Mark Ruffalo and Sterling K. Brown or the first part of our program remembering Jimmy Carter, check out our podcast. You'll find lots of FRESH AIR interviews.
(SOUNDBITE OF ALLEN TOUSSAINT'S "MARDI GRAS IN NEW ORLEANS")
MOSLEY: Our interviews and reviews are produced and edited by Phyllis Myers, Ann Marie Baldonado, Sam Briger, Lauren Krenzel, Therese Madden, Monique Nazareth, Thea Chaloner, Susan Nyakundi and Anna Bauman. Our digital media producer is Molly Seavy-Nesper. With Terry Gross, I'm Tonya Mosley.
(SOUNDBITE OF ALLEN TOUSSAINT'S "MARDI GRAS IN NEW ORLEANS") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
