Selena Gomez to Produce Spanish-Language True Crime Series with Univision

Singer/actress Selena Gomez has accomplished so much and received many accolades this year including the release of her Spanish-language album Revelación, a Latin Grammy for her song “De Una Vez“, and her first-ever Grammy nomination. The 29-year-old, who previously produced the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, is now branching out into Spanish-language by producing a true-crime docuseries with Univision. The network is the largest provider of Spanish-language content in the U.S. and a staple of many Latinx households and now it’s launching a still-unnamed streaming service in 2022. Gomez’s series Mi Vecino, El Cartel (‘The Cartel Among Us’) is based on the murder of drug cartel lawyer Juan Guerrero Chapa and will be one of the first original series for the platform. 

“As a true crime fan, I was immediately captivated when I heard the story surrounding the homicide of Juan Guerrero Chapa. Not only did it take place close to my hometown in Texas, but it was also a story unlike anything I’ve ever heard,” Gomez stated in a press release. “I am excited to partner with Univision and really pull back the layers of his double life.”

Chapa’s murder first made headlines in 2013 when he was stalked and gunned down in a Dallas shopping center by three men. The accused stood trial in 2016, with one receiving two life sentences in prison. But years later, the details of what really happened that day, why the murder happened, and who Chapa really was remain a mystery. 

The three-part series will be produced by Gomez and her production company July Moon Productions. It hopes to uncover the truth behind the case and open more doors for Gomez to continue producing other Spanish-language series in the future. 

“Selena Gomez is obviously a superstar — there’s probably nobody bigger — and she also cares a lot about elevating Latinx voices and storytelling. So the match was perfect,” said Rodrigo Mazon, executive vice president at Univision, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “It is a pretty gripping and thrilling and crazy story, so we felt that it would be extremely interesting to everyone in the Spanish-speaking world and around the world to hear about it.”

Gomez currently stars in the hit Hulu series Only Murders in the Building alongside veteran actors Steve Martin and Martin Short. Her HBO Max cooking show Selena + Chef, which she stars in and executive produces, was recently renewed for a fourth season. It was nominated for Best Cable or Streaming Reality Series by the Hollywood Critics Association earlier this year. 

Mi Vecino, El Cartel will release to Univision’s forthcoming streaming service in 2022.