Selena Gomez‘s buzzing latest project, Emilia Pérez, has been receiving praise from critics and making headlines for its subject matter. Following the completion of the film, Gomez, 32, just announced her renewed focus on acting, stating that it would be quite challenging for her to return to producing music.
This news has let down fans who were hoping for a new music release in the near future. During a moderated discussion with Dave Karger at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in Santa Barbara, California over the weekend, the “Hands to Myself” singer revealed her intention to solely concentrate on acting following her starring role in the Jacques Audiard-directed movie musical.
Selena Gomez Admits It Will Be 'Very Hard' To 'Ever Go Back To Music' After Filming 'Emilia Pérez,' Leaving Fans Devastated
"I think film and art-making and being around such incredible, talented people that have done nothing but uplift me along the way... I don't know," the Rare Beauty mogul explained. She added: "It's going to be very hard for me to ever go back to music after this." Gomez continued: "The director just really trusted me and I was so grateful because I've gotten to show people that I am capable of doing more. I hope that this is just the beginning for me."
Fans headed to X (formerly Twitter) to share their thoughts on Gomez's recent interview. One wrote: "never in a million years I thought selena gomez retirement from music." They added: "ik yall be saying she didn't retire but NO ALBUM FOR 5 YEARS? Yes that's retirement for me." Another added: "Selena Gomez if you don’t want to come back to music or unsure of it, please stop teasing us."
They continued: "And i’m being serious because you’ve been doing that for years and we get hyped up and then you end up saying sh-t like “it will be hard to ever go back to music.'" Someone else commented, in response to Gomez's words: "Cool, we want at least 3 movies every year."
The "Lose You To Love Me" hitmaker made her return to the big screen since her voice role in 2022's Hotel Transylvania 4 with Emilia Pérez, sharing the spotlight with Zoe Saldana and Karla Sofía Gascón. Despite the recent uproar over Gascón's old social media posts, the Netflix film has managed to secure an astounding 13 Academy Award nominations, the most for any movie at this year's Oscars.
Gomez's latest musical release is the 2024 single "Love On." She has also confessed that the controversies involving her costar Gascón, 52, have tarnished some of her fond memories of filming Emilia Pérez. Despite this, she found the filming experience to be quite therapeutic.
Gomez mentioned that she has only watched the film once, during its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2024, where she received the award for best actress. The Dead Don't Die alum explained: ""I watched in Cannes and then I started to watch it with my family and I got nervous and you know because my grandparents were seeing me say some stuff, and I was like, 'Okay.'"
The newly engaged multi-hyphenate also shared that her grandparents will often "casually throw [the movie] on in the background."
Gomez, who, along with the rest of the Emilia Pérez cast, is nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the SAG Awards, added, "But it was beautiful. I get very weird watching stuff sometimes, but I couldn't have been more proud." The awards ceremony will air on Netflix on Sunday, February 23.
