Selena Gomez Opens Up About Emilia Perez Controversy Saying 'Some Of The Magic Has Disappeared'

Selena Gomez is opening up about the sudden controversy surrounding her critically-acclaimed film, Emilia Pérez. While at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Sunday, the 32-year-old stressed that she has "no regrets" about doing the film, which leads the field with 13 Oscar nominations, despite what's happened since. "Some of the magic has disappeared, but I choose to continue to be proud of what I've done. I'm just grateful and live with no regrets," Gomez said during Q&A session, per footage shared via X by The Hollywood Reporter. Despite her costar Karla Sofía Gascón being thrust into headlines around the world for past controversial tweets, Gomez said she would "do this movie over and over again if I could." After coming under fire for alleged past posts that expressed racism, Islamophobia, and antisemitism, Best Actress Oscar nominee Gascón apologized and insisted some -- including one purportedly attacking Gomez specifically -- were completely fabricated in a recent interview. The since-deleted tweets, which were first resurfaced by journalist Sarah Hagi, were largely posted between 2020 and 2021. One purported example, dated Nov. 22, 2020: "I'm Sorry, Is it just my impression or is there more muslims in Spain? Every time I go to pick up my daughter from school there are more women with their hair covered and their skirts down to their heels. Next year instead of English we’ll have to teach Arabic." Additionally, in one of Gascón's unverified tweets from 2022 she allegedly branded Gomez a "rich rat." The post purportedly came after casting announcements about Emilia Pérez shared by Gascón that listed Gomez as her costar in the film, meaning she would have been aware that she and Gomez would be working together when she reportedly made the post. Speaking with CNN en Español about this post in particular, per The Hollywood Reporter, Gascón emphasized, "Of course that’s not mine. I have never said anything about my partner. I would never refer to her that way." In fact, she went so far as to suggest that the timing of these leaks has been to target her ahead of the Oscars. "I start thinking about where this comes from," she said, suggesting that it could be an attempt to derail her chances at becoming the first transgender person to win an acting Oscar. Since that interview, Gascón has taken a vow of silence for rest of awards season so as not to further negatively impact the film. In a post on Instagram on Friday, she reacted to an interview by writer and director Jacques Audiard in Deadline, where he was asked about the viral controversy. "I haven't spoken to her, and I don't want to," he told the publication. It was then that Gascón said she decided to keep quiet. "I decided, for the film, for Jacques, for the cast, for the incredible crew who deserves it, for the beautiful adventure we all had together, to let the work talk for itself, hoping my silence will allow the film to be appreciated for what it is, a beautiful ode to love and difference,' the 52-year-old star wrote. On Saturday night at the DGA Awards, director of the film, Jacques Audiard shockingly included her as one of his "beloved actresses," just days after his interview with Deadline