Zoe Saldaña has lifelong friends thanks to Emilia Perez. The one-of-a-kind Spanish musical, rollercoaster experience, has been buzzing with Oscar talk, and Saldaña's performance is incredible. She heads the film with Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz, and the actress says they have a tight bond.
On Monday, the 46-year-old appeared alongside her Emilia Perez castmates for the New York Film Festival premiere at the Lincoln Center. In an interview with People, she explained that since filming they still have "so much love" for each other. "There's so much respect. We're rooting for each other. We're happy for each other. We're fixing each other's makeup and wardrobes," she continued.
She also reflected on their "childlike" experience filming. "We were so excited to be a part of this project to be working with [director] Jacques Audiard that we were kind of childlike when we were shooting Emilia," she explained.
The actress has some amazing dance numbers in the film, and she's expressed in the past how it healed her inner child. "I felt a sense of pure joy and fulfillment like a little girl dancing in her living room and dreaming of the day she would be on stage (or on set) doing what she loves," she shared.
Emilia Perez, which HOLA! Had the opportunity to watch it before its worldwide premiere, is sure to be one of the most talked about films of 2024. It's already had a hot festival season with Gascón, Saldaña, Gomez, and Paz sharing the Best Actress trophy at Cannes. She told People that, "knowing that it's becoming something special to so many people is impactful. It's really impactful. So I think that that re-bonds us all over again."
Saldaña, the only performer in history to have starred in four films that have grossed more than $2 billion, is also being awarded with SCAD Savannah Film Festival’s Vanguard Award following a screening on Friday, Nov. 1, at the SCAD Trustees Theatre.
Emilia Perez also stars Edgar Ramírez, and Mark Ivani, and hits select theaters on November 1 and Netflix on November 13.