Selena movie© courtesy of Q Productions

Every leading lady who has played Selena on screen


UPDATED AUGUST 21, 2019 2:31 PM EDT
© Getty Images

Maya Zapata

Over the years, a few select women have been honored to play Selena Quintanilla and bring the late singer back to life on the screen. Jennifer Lopez kicked off her Hollywood career with her portrayal of the Tejano singer in the 1997 Selena flick. On the small screen, rising star Maya Zapata is set to star as the Queen of Tejano in Telemundo's El Secreto de Selena.

Now, another actress is joining this special group of Latina ladies. The Walking Dead star Christian Serrato is reportedly in talks to play Selena in the upcoming and highly-anticipated Netflix series.

Below we look back at all the leadies ladies who have brought the legend back and introduced her to new generations...

 

Maya Zapata

The Mexican actress is set to star as Selena in El Secreto de Selena, which translates to Selena's Secret in the Telemundo series based on the writings of Puerto Rican journalist María Celeste Arrarás

"After I found out I was going to be Selena, I dreamed of her every night," said Maya in a recent interview. "I talked to her, had dialogues with her. I wanted to tell her story in a responsible way, I just wanted to be her vehicle so that she could share her story."

© Courtesy of Q Productions

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez

The actress scored her first lead role with the 1997 flick, which earned her worldwide recognition plus a Golden Globe nomination. "It was about portraying her as best I could, to where people weren’t thinking of anybody but her when they were watching," she previously told Billboard. "I remember trying to inundate myself with all the information I could find from her family and also by watching tapes of her and seeing her speak and seeing her in interviews. 

MORE: 5 fast facts about Christian Serratos, the actress set to play Selena in upcoming Netflix series

© Courtesy of Q Productions

Becky Lee Meza

Becky Lee Meza

Becky was cast as a young Selena when she was a nine-year-old girl living in Texas. Like many young Latinas, Selena's untimely death had a major impact in her life. “This was somebody I could look up to, somebody who looked like me," she previously said. "There weren’t a lot of role models back then for little girls like me.”  

© Getty Images

Christian Serratos

Christian Serratos

The actress, who is of Mexican and Italian descent, is rumored to take on the titular role in the upcoming Netflix show Selena: The Series. The show is set to begin production next month in Mexico and is described as a "coming of age drama" that will run for a reported two seasons.

UP NEXT: Meet the stars of Telemundo's upcoming Selena Quintanilla series