Selena Gomez has revealed she “blacked out” during her audition for a role in the Oscar-tipped operatic musical Emilia Perez.
The US actress and singer arrived at the Los Angeles premiere wearing a black Elie Saab off-the-shoulder gown, posing on the black carpet with her co-stars Zoe Saldana, Karla Sofia Gascon, Adriana Paz, and Edgar Ramirez.
The Spanish-language French musical follows a Mexican cartel leader (Gascon), who asks a high-powered lawyer (Saldana) to help fake their own death and undergo sex-reassignment operations.
Gomez, who plays the drug lord’s wife Jessi Del Monte, spoke about auditioning with the song Bienvenida “which is a big number I do in the bedroom”.
“I throw everything around, and I had no idea the concept of what he was going for, the director Jacques (Audiard) literally said to me, act drunk and throw your shoes if you want, and just go crazy,” the 32-year-old told the Hollywood Reporter.
“I did it once and he was like, ‘go crazier’.
“I went totally for it. I was standing on furniture and I blacked out, but I was just singing my heart out and dancing like a mad woman, a drunk mad woman and it was a very crazy experience.
“But I was honoured when he decided to ultimately go with me.”
Gomez rose to fame as a child star on Disney series Wizards Of Waverly Place, before gaining plaudits for her role in Disney+ series Only Murders In The Building alongside comedy stars Steve Martin and Martin Short.
During the premiere, Gomez said she is “open to anything” regarding future roles, but hopes she continues to be “inspired by great filmmakers”.
When asked about the mounting Oscars buzz, Gomez said: “I don’t like to think anything or be presumptuous, so I’m just going to say I’m so happy people are receiving it the way they are.”
Emilia Perez will be released on Netflix on November 13.
