Jennifer Lopez Shares Touching Tribute to Selena Quintanilla
With so many pressing concerns at the moment, it’s been difficult to take in joyous events such as birthdays and anniversaries
Photo: Instagram/@jlo
With so many pressing concerns at the moment, it’s been difficult to take in joyous events such as birthdays and anniversaries. Such is the case with Selena Quintanilla, who passed away 25 years ago this month. Jennifer Lopez, who is self-isolating with her family like most people in this world right now, paused to share a beautiful tribute to Selena.
Yesterday, Lopez posted a touching video by Louis Palacios that celebrated the 1997 Selena movie and reflected on what that project means to her 23 years since its release.
“Join me today in #CelebratingSelena,” Lopez wrote on Instagram. “I can’t believe it’s been 23 years since this incredible movie came out and 25 years since her passing. Selena was such an inspiration to me and I was so lucky to be chosen to play her. As an artist, this movie truly was an experience I’m going to remember for the rest of my life. Please share your memories of Selena and the movie with me below.”
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In the video, Lopez talks about what it was like filming the movie at the start of her career, which turned out to be her breakout role.
“I just go right back to the beginning of the movie and the first day of shooting and really trying to find the essence of who she was,” she says in the video. “She was an artist, and she was singing from the time she was nine years old — maybe younger. Learning how she sang, her mannerisms, and how she danced. Studying the tape of her became really important…God sent me that role for a reason so I could learn from her, so I could always have her as an inspiration.”
The video shows Lopez portraying Selena and unique images with the Quintanilla family. A year ago, Lopez shared that when she was preparing for the movie, she took in as much as possible, and that included sleeping in Selena’s room and in her bed.
“I soaked up everything, I watched every interview that I could,” Lopez said. “I slept in her bed at home. I talked to the whole family. I spent time with them. It can be melancholy and beautiful at the same time. It was a beautiful time in my life and it taught me so much about life.”
The video also shows Lopez getting emotional when talking about what the loss of Selena meant for her and for the public. Thankfully, we have the movie and her music to keep her memory alive.
Watch the tribute below.
