Selena Gomez has swapped stories with NME about her favourite musicians – including a teenage obsession with Kurt Cobain – during an interview that covered acting techniques, her current break from recording music and what it’s like to get an 11-minute standing ovation at Cannes Film Festival.
The 32-year-old singer and actress is promoting her Oscar-tipped new film Emilia Pérez – and was speaking to NME at a junket alongside co-star Zoë Saldaña, who also had some pop star stories to tell.
Asked which albums she always goes back to, Gomez listed Frank Ocean’s 2012 classic ‘Channel Orange’ and ‘19’ by Adele before being reminded of an interview she gave earlier this year on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in which she confessed her fascination for the Nirvana frontman.
“I should have said one of theirs. I was, and still am, obsessed with Kurt Cobain,” she said. “I dyed my hair to be the exact color of Kurt Cobain’s – the roots, I did it all.”
Gomez’s character in Emilia Pérez, the wife of a transgender former cartel boss called Jessi, also sports a blonde bombshell look – which she says was partly inspired by the Nirvana icon: “That’s kind of what I was going for.”
“His documentary [2015’s Montage Of Heck] is one of my favourite music documentaries. I’ve watched it maybe 10 times. It’s very emotional but really impactful. I felt so many things watching it.”
Saldaña, meanwhile, talked about Dominican legend Juan Luis Guerra. The 67-year-old singer has won three Grammys over a career that stretches back to 1984 when he released his debut studio album ‘Soplando’. “He’s known all through Latin America, Europe and Asia,” said Saldaña. “He’s really respected and a poet. The way that he relates to love and other feelings through sense memory is quite amazing.”
Best-known for roles in sci-fi blockbusters Guardians Of The Galaxy and Avatar, Saldaña also spilled some beans on her one-time Hollywood neighbour Adele. The pair used to live next-door to each other but have since moved.
“She’s a remarkable woman,” Saldaña said. “I can honestly say that once you meet the person behind the artistry, [you get] a much deeper level of respect for her… We became friends and our children played together. You would just see us [outside of our houses], like a row of mums just looking at our kids going: ‘What are you doing? Can you please stop that? Can you look at mummy? Make eye contact!’”
Check out the full interview below for more on Gomez and Saldaña’s celebrity run-ins, as well as their memories of growing up Latina, which Emilia Pérez scene made them weep and why you shouldn’t expect a new album from Gomez for a while…
Hi Selena and Zoë, there’s a scene in Emilia Pérez that is so emotional it made us cry. It’s when Emilia, a former cartel boss who secretly transitioned, is reunited with her son and she sings a song to him in bed…
Selena Gomez: “Yes! I wasn’t there when they shot it but just hearing you say that… It makes me wanna cry because it is a very special scene. It’s one of my favourites.”
Zoë Saldaña: “I think now that I’m a mother, I can relate to it even more.”
The other bit we should talk about is the all-singing all-dancing gala scene – Zoë, you must have been in bits afterwards, it looks so physically demanding?
ZS: “I was waiting for somebody to ask me that question. My C5, C6 and C7 [bones in my spine] after shooting [that day] were a little inflamed. So I was a little sore for longer than I anticipated, but it was so worth it.”
Were you nervous to shoot that scene?
ZS: “I was deeply afraid. I wanted it to come out really well and we rehearsed it for maybe five, almost six weeks. And after we shot it, the rush of blood to the head, the adrenaline that I felt was invigorating. It looks so good.”
The film received an 11-minute standing ovation when it screened at Cannes Film Festival this year – how do you stand there for that long?!
SG: I was very unsure until I saw [director] Jacques Audiard walk away. I was right behind him because it was so overwhelming… I’m a little uncomfortable with compliments.”
ZS: “You go through all these stages of: ‘They must mean it! This must move them like it’s moved me!’ And then that realisation makes you emotional.”
What’s an album you always go back to?
ZS: “There’s this Dominican singer called Juan Luis Guerra. He’s known all through Latin America, Europe and Asia. He’s really respected and a poet. The way that he relates to love and other feelings through sense memory is quite amazing.”
SG: “I think mine are probably Adele, the first one [‘19’]. I related to a lot of those songs. ‘Chasing Pavements’ is so addictive. And then Frank Ocean’s ‘Channel Orange’.”
We heard you were a Nirvana fan…
SG: “I should have said one of theirs. I was, and still am, obsessed with Kurt Cobain. I dyed my hair to be the exact color of Kurt Cobain – the roots, I did it all. His documentary [2015’s Montage Of Heck] is one of my favorites music documentaries. I’ve watched it maybe 10 times. It’s very emotional but really impactful.”
Can you tell us any stories about meeting famous pop stars?
ZS: “I don’t think that she will mind me saying this but Adele and I were neighbours in LA. We became friends and our children played together. I can honestly say that once you meet the person behind the artistry, [you get] a much deeper level of respect for her. She’s a remarkable woman.”
Zoë Saldaña and Adele living next door to each other sounds like a good sitcom idea…
SG: “A great one and one I want to watch!”
ZS: [Laughs] “You would just see us [outside of our houses], like a row of mums just looking at our kids going: ‘What are you doing? Can you please stop that? Can you look at mummy? Make eye contact!’”
Selena, we can’t let you get away without asking for an update on your new album…
SG: “Well, if I had one, I would love to talk about it. I think right now it’s been really nice focusing on this side of the playing field. We’ll see, you never know.”
ZS: “I hope you continue making music.”
‘Emilia Pérez’ arrives on Netflix tomorrow (November 13)