6 Actresses Who Could Portray Selena Quintanilla in Netflix’s New Series

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6 Actresses Who Could Portray Selena Quintanilla in Netflix's New Series

Bidi bidi bom bom! Netflix revealed on Tuesday, December 11, that the streaming service teamed up with the Quintanilla family for a scripted show tiled Selena: The Series about Selena Quintanilla.While the premiere date, cast and episode count have yet to be announced, the show was granted a straight-to-series order. "Selena will always have a lasting place in music history and we feel great responsibility to do justice to her memory. With this series, viewers will finally get the full history of Selena, our family, and the impact she has had on all of our lives," Selena's sister Suzette Quintanilla said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. "We are excited to partner with Campanario and Netflix to give fans a never-before-seen glimpse at our story and highlight why Selena will remain a legend for generations to come." After forming a band named Selena y Los Dinos with her family, Selena rose to fame as a solo artist in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. In 1994, she became the first female Tejano artist to win a Grammy for Best Mexican/American Album. A year later, Selena was shot and killed by her fan club president and former boutique manager, Yolanda Saldívar, in March 1995 at just 23 years old. After her death, Selena’s crossover album, Dreaming of You, was released and she went on to become one of the bestselling female artists in Latin music history. Jennifer Lopez portrayed the late singer in the 1997 film Selena. Scroll through a list of actresses and singers who could potentially play Selena this time around:

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Sofia Carson

The Descendant star has released music in both Spanish and English

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Selena Gomez

The Disney alum previously revealed that her parents named her after the Mexican-American singer. “My dad and mom were huge fans. My name was going to be Priscilla, but my cousin actually took the name when she was born six months before me. They actually loved [Selena’s] music, so they just named me after her,” Gomez said during a 2016 appearance on Sacramento’s NOW 100.5. “I grew up and I went to her grave. I got to go to her house. It was really crazy. And then when I started working, I remember I got to meet her family and I just got super emotional 'cause it’s so crazy to see how far everything. ... I don’t know where she’d be right now. It’s nuts.”

After seeking permission from the Quintanilla family, Gomez also released a “duet” version of of “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” on her 2014 compilation album, For You.

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Camila Cabello

The "Havana" songstress sings in both English and Spanish. 


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Demi Lovato

Lovato, who released a Spanish version of her hit “Tell Me You Love Me” in 2018, previously channeled her inner Selena on Halloween. She also opened up about embracing her Latina roots during a 2014 interview with Glam Belleza Latina. “Growing up in America, I never really appreciated my culture. I knew what being Hispanic was, but I thought that since I didn't look Hispanic, I was white,” she explained. “I tried to conform to what everyone thinks is beautiful. But my genetics gave me a curvy figure, and I've come to understand that in the Latina culture, that is beautiful. I no longer look at my body and think, 'Oh, my gosh, I have such a fat butt.' Or, 'I hate my thighs.' On some days I don't love them. But, you know, that's one of the things that makes me me.” 

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Camila Mendes

Mendes is one of the most popular Latina actresses in 2018. She also shows off her strong vocals in the CW hit Riverdale. 

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Francia Raisa

The Grown-ish star opened up about Hollywood typecasting Latina actresses during a 2017 interview with Stylecaster. “When I first started acting, I was always sent out for ‘hot, sexy, Latina.’ When it was specific to Latina, it was always ‘hot, sex, must take clothes off, must have accent.’ Mind you, I’m Mexican-Honduran. My first language was Spanish. I learned English when I was 6.  So when I get asked to do a Mexican accent, I’m like, ‘This is my Mexican accent. This is how I learned English,’” she explained. “Before, I would sneak into those rooms where they’re looking for a Caucasian, and I’m sitting in a room with blonde girls, and I’m like, ‘Oh, God. This is a waste of my time. Now, it’s given me more confidence to go in because there’s more opportunity and they’re open to seeing outside of what the breakdown says.”