In this exclusive interview, Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Adriana Paz, and Selena Gomez dive into their powerful roles in Emilia Pérez. Hear them discuss the film’s themes of love, identity, and self-discovery, plus behind-the-scenes moments from this genre-defying story.
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00:00I really enjoyed the film last night. Did you have fun at the premiere?
00:04Yes, I had.
00:05The energy there was so amazing.
00:07So I hope you both had fun as well.
00:09Just seeing it with a big crowd was just so amazing to witness.
00:13And the movie just has such a powerful message.
00:16I really went in not knowing at all what to really expect and then you take away so much.
00:20So I just wanted to kind of start with talking about the, you know, the themes of the film
00:25and how so many people are definitely going to resonate with that
00:28and what that meant to you and what you hope people take away from it.
00:33I mean, so many things I hope people take away.
00:37That love can conquer anything.
00:41To remain completely open and to rethink, you know, our idea of what is redemption
00:50and who is redeemable, who is worthy of redemption.
00:54And that the level of respect that we should always have for people and their choices
01:00should never waver according to whether or not you share the same ideals.
01:05That I feel like the level of respect is a birthright.
01:09So I just want people to sort of tap into that and to not think but to feel first.
01:14Sometimes it's important to just, you know, lead with your heart.
01:17Absolutely.
01:19I mean, I don't even think I could top that answer.
01:22I can tell you one thing.
01:24I learned so much about myself and about everything around me
01:29and my environment, specifically growing up in Texas.
01:32That's why I don't mean to turn this into anything,
01:35but I'm eager and excited for people to, you know, voice how they feel
01:40and they have a right to, everyone has a right to be their authentic self.
01:45And if anything, I'm so grateful that we get to celebrate that however it looks.
01:51Absolutely. I love that. It snaps.
01:54It wasn't as, I was like, no, no, no.
01:57I can't top you.
01:58You had to follow up. I'm sorry. I should ask you first.
02:00It's okay. No.
02:02I also love the performances, obviously.
02:05There's so much energy going into all of them from you rolling around on the bed
02:09and just showing so much fierceness.
02:11And then I loved El Mal, I have to say.
02:13So I really, I did want to ask you, Zoe, like what was your reaction to seeing that number
02:18and knowing you were going to do it and then seeing it on the screen afterwards?
02:22I mean, I've only seen the movie once.
02:24I tend to be really hard on myself, which is why I just don't do it.
02:30There's so many films that I've been in that I just haven't watched yet.
02:34This one in particular, I want to go back to seeing it.
02:37I'm so proud of my work.
02:39I'm also able to separate from it and just see it from the perspective of,
02:44like, Jesse and Emilia primarily, and then Epifania, but also Gustavo.
02:49Gustavo was, like, popped up for me.
02:52El Mal, to really answer your question, I am very proud of.
02:57It is a number, a moment in Rita's life where we rehearsed, we prepared, we discussed, we dissected,
03:07and then we just threw ourselves in it, you know?
03:10When I saw it, I was just like...
03:16I was like, I know you didn't ask me, but that's how shook I was.
03:20It is so hot.
03:22I know it was very powerful and the message was powerful,
03:27but I kept looking at you like, what is happening?
03:30It was so beautiful.
03:32I think there's words to say for it being able to be powerful and hot at the same time.
03:38That's how a woman should be perceived.
03:40I'll take that.
03:42Carla, I wanted to go to you, and obviously this film has such amazing representation.
03:47It's really bringing a story to the screens in people's homes that we're so excited to see.
03:52So what do you hope people take away from seeing Emilia's story?
03:56I hope they get a lot of love.
03:59I hope the film touches their souls.
04:03But what I do hope is that they learn, all the audience that is going to see it,
04:09that there are people who are different and who deserve all the respect in the world.
04:15And a very beautiful thing that happens in the film
04:20is that maybe those who see it will focus on the change of character from Magnetes to Emilia,
04:30but there is also a beautiful relationship,
04:34a wonderful LGBTQ relationship between Emilia and Epifania,
04:40which becomes more and more unnoticeable.
04:43And that's wonderful,
04:45because in the end what it's about here is love between people.
04:50Well, what I hope that people get out of this movie is lots of love,
04:54that it touches their souls.
04:56And I hope that all audiences that see this movie learn that there are people
05:00who are different among us and who deserve all the respect.
05:03And I know that a lot will focus on the movie, on the transformation from Magnetes to Emilia,
05:08but I want them also to focus on this beautiful LGBTQ relationship
05:12between Epifania and Emilia.
05:15And I hope that it goes practically unnoticed,
05:18just that it's something normal.
05:20Absolutely.
05:21And I wanted to go to you, Adriana, and talk about Epifania.
05:25And I love that she comes and she really brings this light and this story,
05:30and it's such a transformative part of both of their lives.
05:34So what was it like playing a role about finding that light in the darkness?
05:40It was great.
05:42You know, the second time that I saw the movie,
05:47the first time was in Cannes, so I was like in a shock.
05:52And this second time in New York, I was able to appreciate more aspects of the movie,
05:57and I discovered many scenes or songs or moments that I really enjoyed.
06:05And I felt this tenderness in Epifania that I think it's a strength
06:14because people think that being vulnerable is being weak, and it's not like that.
06:20I think it's way the opposite because kindness and loving and tenderness,
06:27it's a kind of strength.
06:30And we all have to reconciliate us with this part because we all have it,
06:37or, I mean, 99% of the people have it.
06:40But, I mean, we have taught that you can't show that because you can't be weak.
06:50And I will love that the people could touch and be in touch.
06:55Men could be in touch with their feminine part, which is good,
07:00and then they can be able to say, I have fear, I feel lonely, I need to talk.
07:10And women also can contact with this masculine part as well
07:13because we are like all the same, you know, but in different ways.
07:18So we have to accept that tenderness and that love.
07:21And love, it's a powerful force.
07:24And if we do things with love, the results are always going to be better.
07:32Absolutely. I love that so much.
07:34And I wanted to ask you both.
07:36I mean, there's such powerful musical numbers in this whole film.
07:40So did you have a favorite that you were a part of
07:43or that you loved to watch back when viewing the film?
07:46There's a lot.
07:48I mean, it's a whole experience, the whole movie.
07:52But if I have to choose, I love my song.
07:56I really enjoyed watching that part and singing as well.
08:01And I love the papa.
08:04Papa, I cried a lot the second time.
08:07I mean, a lot.
08:09And para.
08:11But also el mal.
08:13Yeah, there's a lot.
08:15For me, para.
08:17Para is a really strong one.
08:20If I had to choose one.