Jennifer Lopez is commemorating the 25th anniversary of the movie that launched her stardom. The film, Selena, holds a special place in the multi-talented artist’s heart, and she recently took to Instagram to share a video from an old appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show where she was promoting the biopic. In the throwback clip, Lopez appears with a different look – shorter hair and thinner eyebrows. She expressed her gratitude to have been selected to play Selena and how much the late singer and her family mean to her. The actress/singer’s post is a tribute to Selena’s enduring legacy and music.
Back in 1997, we had the pleasure of seeing Jennifer Lopez chatting away on Oprah about the movie Selena. It was quite a sight to see her discussing the film with such passion and energy. Her enthusiasm for the role was evident, and it’s no wonder that the movie became a classic. The way she carried herself during the interview was nothing short of impressive, and it’s clear that JLo has always been a star.
Back in 1997, Jennifer had a different look with thinner eyebrows and a shorter, more playful haircut. However, in February, the talented siren was spotted sporting fuller brows and longer locks. She cherished that period in her life and felt honored as an artist to have been part of the enchanting movie. Selena Quintanilla Pérez was a pioneering Mexican-American artist whose music shook up the industry and touched people’s hearts. The Baila Esta Cumbia crooner was dubbed The Queen of Tejano for breaking through the musical barriers and making a name for herself.
Selena was a game-changer in the Tejano music scene, which had been dominated by male artists. Despite initial struggles to make a name for herself, her career skyrocketed with the release of her eponymous first album. Her music continued to dominate the charts, and she even earned a Grammy Award in 1994 for Live! Unfortunately, tragedy struck when Selena was murdered at the young age of 23 by an obsessed fan who headed her fan club. Her legacy continues to live on and inspire new artists. In fact, Jennifer Lopez’s breakout role was playing Selena in the 1997 film, beating out thousands of other young women for the coveted part.
About Oprah: Back in March 1997, the famous Let’s Get Loud singer made an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show to promote a movie.
It was quite stressful for Selena’s family as they had to commute to the movie set every single day. Jennifer Lopez, who played Selena in the movie, admitted that she too found it nerve-wracking. However, she felt that their presence on the set was a wonderful thing as it demonstrated their support for the project. During an interview with Oprah, one of Selena’s relatives was present in the audience.
A beaming dad: Abraham Quintanilla, who was Selena’s manager while she was alive, continues to honor her memory through various forms of media such as books, music, and movies.
The Quintanilla family is grieving the loss of Selena, survived by her parents Abraham and Marcella, as well as her siblings AB and Suzette. Despite her passing, the family has kept her music and legacy alive. Abraham, AB, and Suzette are serving as executive producers on the Netflix series Selena: The Series.
In an Instagram clip with Oprah, the actress who portrays Selena in the series shares how she prepared for the role by immersing herself in Selena’s music and videos while working on another movie. Selena’s family visited the set every day to oversee production, including Abraham, Marcella, and Suzette. Though daunting, the actress felt enriched by their involvement and care for the project, making the experience a beautiful thing for her.
Reflecting on the pivotal role that launched her career, Jennifer expressed her deep connection to it, saying, “This film holds a special place in my heart…playing Selena and getting to know her family was an incredible experience.” Here we see Lopez portraying the beloved singer.
Selena’s movie grossed over $35 million at the box office, which is quite impressive. The actress took to her Instagram page to express how grateful she was to be a part of the movie and how it’s something that she’ll always cherish. As an artist, being involved in such a magical production is an honor that Selena will never forget.
In the biopic film about Selena, Jennifer acted alongside Edward James Olmos, Constance Marie, and Jacob Vargas, and she made history by becoming the first Latina actress to earn $1 million for a role. The movie was a huge success, earning over $35 million at the box office. Recently, Selena’s story was retold in Selena: The Series on Netflix, featuring Christian Serratos as the late singer. In 2021, Selena was posthumously awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Since then, JLo has continued to break barriers in her career. Her performance in Selena earned her a Golden Globe nomination for best actress and propelled her towards a successful trajectory with multiple platinum albums and movie roles both in front of and behind the camera. Currently, at 52 years old, she is starring in and producing The Godmother, a film based on the life of a Colombian drug lord.
J.Lo is all smiles these days as she stepped out with Ben Affleck at the red carpet premiere of their movie, The Last Duel, during the 78th Venice International Film Festival in Venice, Italy.
