Cannes 2024: Selena Gomez overwhelmed by 9-minute standing ovation for 'Emilia Perez'

Selena Gomez, the well-known actress and singer, was deeply moved after her new film, ‘Emilia Perez,’ received a nine-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival. This event, held on Saturday, marked the longest standing ovation for any movie premiere at Cannes this year.

‘Emilia Perez’ is directed by Jacques Audiard and tells the story of a Mexican cartel leader, played by Karla Sofía Gascón, who is seeking gender-affirming surgery. Selena Gomez stars as Gascón’s on-screen wife. The film also features stars like Zoe Saldana and Edgar Ramirez and is a musical crime comedy.

Selena Gomez arrived at the festival in a stunning black velvet gown with a draped white satin neckline, accessorised with a diamond collar necklace and diamond earrings. The next day, for the film's photocall and press conference, she wore a beautiful off-the-shoulder red gown with matching red heels.

Selena shared with Variety that she was immediately captivated by the ‘Emilia Perez’ script. “It was captivating, it was heartbreaking, it was really moving to me,” she said. She also enjoyed singing in the film, adding, “I had a blast and I love the songs. I think they’re really beautiful.”

In recent years, Selena has focused more on her acting career. She stars in the Hulu comedy series ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ which returns for its fourth season in August. She will also make a cameo in the ‘Wizard of Waverly Place’ spinoff series, ‘Wizards Beyond Waverly Place,’ which she is producing.

Selena's next major film role is playing Linda Ronstadt in an upcoming biopic. However, she plans to take a short break before starting this project.

On the ‘SmartLess’ podcast earlier this year, Selena revealed she plans to release one more album before taking a break from her music career. “I am going to want to chill because I’m tired,” she said. She mentioned that while she enjoys telling stories through music, her primary passion has always been acting.

‘Emilia Perez’ is set to release in France on August 28, though a US release date has not been announced yet.