Selena Gomez reveals why she lost her Spanish despite her Mexican roots

Selena Gomez finds herself at one of the most notorious moments of her acting career. The actress has received various nominations and acclaim for her work in the film "Emilia Perez," where she speaks most of her lines in Spanish. 

© Stefanie Keenan

Last week, a video of Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez went viral after he criticized Gomez's performance, particularly her Spanish.

"I was [watching the movie] with people," Derbez said in the podcast "Hablando de Cine." "And every time a scene [with her] appeared, we looked at each other and said, 'Wow, what is this?'" 

The exchange sparked a lot of controversy, with many supporting Derbez's statements and others criticizing his comments. The viral clip prompted a reaction from Gomez, an apology from him, and much discussion. 

In a previous interview with NPR, Gomez shed a light on her history with Spanish, revealing that while she grew up speaking it in her household, she lost it by the time she was 7 years old. 

"I got my first job at 7, and most of my jobs from that point on were English," she said. "And I just lost [my Spanish]. That's kind of the case for a lot of people, especially Mexican American people."

Gomez's case is incredibly common for first-generation Mexican Americans, with many of them losing the language when living in the US and assimilating into the culture that surrounds them. It's a development that's difficult to understand for Spanish speakers born and raised in other countries.

© Eugene Gologursky

Gomez's future with Spanish

In her chat with NPR, Gomez revealed she spent six months preparing for her role. She also shared that she wants to continue to honor her culture with her future projects. "I wish I just knew a lot more than I do," she said. 

"But I think that's why I try to honor my culture as much as possible — from releasing an album in Spanish to wanting to pursue this movie. And I don't think it'll be the last thing I do in Spanish."

While the comments from the Spanish-speaking community may have soured Gomez's experience, her work in "Emilia Perez" has led to a Golden Globe nomination and an appearance on Variety's special Actors on Actors. She may even receive an Oscar nomination later this year.

© Neilson Barnard