Emilia Pérez has everyone talking. Directed by visionary filmmaker Jacques Audiard, there is no other film like the genre-blending, visually beautiful journey that explores identity, transformation, and freedom. The unique story follows four women in Mexico, with Emilia Pérez (Karla Sofía Gascón) at the center; a feared cartel leader longing to live as her true self she turns to Rita (Zoe Saldaña) for help. With a powerful Latino cast including Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, and Edgar Ramírez, the film is buzzing for the Academy Awards and has already found success, winning the Cannes Jury Prize with the four main actresses sharing the Best Actress Award.
Adriana Paz, Karla Sofia Gascon, Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez, and Edgar Ramirez arrive at the Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's "Emilia Perez"
Venezuelan star Ramírez put on his cowboy hat for the role of Gustavo, playing Gomez’s love interest. If you have the opportunity to see the film without reading too much about the plot, it’s highly recommended for the full emotionally riveting rollercoaster experience. His off-screen friendship with Gomez made headlines at a recent Sabrina Carpenter concert - but their connection is platonic and authentic, with Ramírez marveling at Gomez’s talent and approach to her craft. Ahead of the film's release, HOLA! Had the opportunity to talk to Ramírez, who gushed about his costars and the special experience of playing opposite of Gomez. Check out the exclusive interview below.
Edgar Ramirez as Gustavo
To be in this intense, beautiful, tender, strange, unpredictable love story with Selena was amazing. It was so beautiful performing with such a courageous actress—so raw, so open, so committed. It was delicious.
Gustavo is such a catalyst for these women leads. How fun was it taking on that responsibility?
Amazing. I didn't see it as a responsibility. I think it was such a privilege to be able to support these incredibly talented actresses in such a groundbreaking, unique, strange, edgy, punk story.
Was there anything you were inspired by or learned while watching Zoe, Selena, and Karla do their thing?
Oh my God, how much time do we have? It’s incredible what they did. Zoe - she becomes this... blade. We've been friends for a long time, and I'm so proud to see my friend flexing every artistic muscle in her being through the character of Rita. She sings amazingly, she acts amazingly, and she dances like a blade - she cuts the space, and that was fantastic. I extend that to all of them - it was really, really inspiring to be surrounded by such energy. And of course, to be in this intense, beautiful, tender, strange, unpredictable love story with Selena was amazing. It was so beautiful performing with such a courageous actress—so raw, so open, so committed. It was delicious.
How do you come down from a movie like that when it wraps?
I haven’t come down yet.
I love how into it you get with Gustavo. Your facial expressions, the mustache, accent, the way you carry yourself. What went into finding Gustavo's character? Were there any significant choices or ideas you had to let go of?
Quite honestly, it was like a stream of consciousness. As you said, without revealing too much, Gustavo is a catalyst for things to happen. There wasn’t much thinking on my part—it was more about feeling. I trusted Jacques with my heart, and he trusted us a lot too. He was very open to our input and ideas, and he made us feel so free, at the same time, he was there to guide us. So that balance was very special, and I was just ready to play and interact with all the elements that were thrown at us. And of course, I had the best scene partner in Selena. We were very lucky that we were able to trust each other so quickly, and so easily. It was real, it was beautiful, it was a beautiful thing. It felt like we’d known each other for a very long time. We felt very safe with each other and very quickly became each other's safety net so that we were able to hold hands and jump off the cliff.
The chemistry is beautiful between you two. You used to be a journalist. What’s one question you would’ve asked yourself in this press tour that no one has asked yet?
Oh my God, that’s such a good question. Now you're putting me on the spot. Can I throw that back to you? It’s honestly very hard for me to think of one. Believe it or not, I’m shy, and as I told you before, the whole process of this movie was very sensorial. It was not very heavy, and I tend to be very rational with an intellectual approach to things. But in this movie, I kinda blocked that and tried to integrate myself into the story from a very sensorial standpoint.
That’s magical. It means everything’s raw, and you brought yourself to it.
Yeah, raw. Selena also threw herself in with such raw energy that I just connected to it and let myself go because I felt very safe.
