On March 21, Jennifer Lopez took to Instagram to commemorate and celebrate the 24-year anniversary of the movie that kickstarted her acting career and helped catapult her into stardom: Selena. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 24 years since the biographical movie about the late, great Queen of Tejano music, Selena Quintanilla, came out. Even J.Lo can’t believe it, but it’s true. The movie came out in 1997 just a few days shy of the two-year anniversary of Selena’s murder.
More from MamásLatinas: Selena Quintanilla tattoos keeping her memory alive
Playing Selena was a big deal for Jennifer, not just because of who she was portraying, but also because it was her first major acting role. Playing Selena also inspired J.Lo to become a singer. "[The movie] made me realize, don't neglect parts of yourself and let people put you in a box because you're an actress. You can do this, and you can also do that," she told Billboard when the movie was celebrating its 20-year anniversary. So, what does Jennifer have to say about the movie and her part in it now? Keep reading to find out.
On March 21, 2021, Jennifer spent some time reflecting on playing Selena.
On one of the videos she posted to her Instagram account, commemorating the movie's anniversary, she wrote:
I can’t believe it’s been 24 years since the release of Selena. I’m so proud of this movie!!! So proud to be a small part of Selena’s amazing legacy. When I was preparing for the role, I studied her tirelessly, her every step, her finger movements, her lips … her infectious laugh…her expressions.
She went on to share advice she got from Edward James Olmos.
She said: "Once it was time to be her in the movie and we were filming the big Houston Astrodome scene I did the first take and after it Edward James Olmos who played Selena's father, an amazing and powerful actor came to me and said, 'you’ve done your homework, now just let it go…just let everything go…' so I did and just did my thing… the rest is what you see in the movie!!"
She ended the caption with gratitude.
"Thank you Selena!!" she wrote. "Thank you Greg Nava, thank you Abraham, Marcella, Suzette and AB for trusting me…and all the actors and everyone involved in this life changing experience… I love you all!!"
The official Selena Instagram account also marked the occasion.
The account wrote:
"SELENA MOVIE turns 24!
24 years ago today, “Selena” starring @jlo was released in theaters nationwide. Here’s a look back at when Selena wins her first Grammy.
What were some of your favorite scenes from the movie?
#SelenaMovie24 "
Now might be a good time to watch or re-watch the movie.
If you've never seen Selena or feel like watching it again, you can stream it on Amazon Prime. Jennifer Lopez really did do a great job. It's not easy to play a person who is so well known and as beloved as Selena, but Jennifer gave it her all, and it shows.