Selena: The Series—What to Know About the Netflix Show
It'll be here before the end of the holidays
Nearly two years after Netflix announced plans for Selena: The Series, the premiere is almost upon us. The show will follow Selena Quintanilla, played by Christian Serratos, in a coming-of-age story as she follows her dreams but faces challenging choices with her family. According to the few previews we've seen so far, the singer's signature wardrobe and beauty looks are just as much a part of the series as her music is.
The show, created by Moisés Zamora, comes 23 years after the biopic Selena, which starred Jennifer Lopez as the Queen of Tejano music. (She earned a Golden Globe nomination for the part.)
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It premieres December 4.
Selena: The Series arrives on Netflix Friday, December 4. There will be nine 40-minute episodes, according to Entertainment Weekly. There are already a few teasers, like the one below, and an official trailer, which you can stream above.
Christian Serratos stars as Selena.
The actress, 30, is best known for playing Rosita Espinosa on The Walking Dead, a role she's had since 2014. She also played Angela Weber in the Twilight series and Raven in The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Nickelodeon viewers in the mid-2000s may remember her as Suzie Crabgrass in Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide.
Netflix first announced Serratos's casting in November 2019 with a teaser video introducing her in the role.
Serratos told EW that Selena's music would always be playing around the house growing up, but when she started using YouTube, she discovered a video of the star performing "Que Creias."
"Whenever I would talk about Selena, that was the video I showed every one of her," Serratos said. "I was able to perform that song on the show, and I was so nervous and so excited! I didn't want to speak to anyone because that was my special moment with her. It was really incredible!"
The cast plays people closest to the singer.
Jesse Posey (Stitchers) plays Chris Perez, the guitarist who becomes Selena's romantic interest and, eventually, her husband.
Ricardo Chavira (Desperate Housewives) plays Abraham Quintanilla Jr, Selena's father and a businessman.
Julio Macias (On My Block) plays Pete Astudillo, a singer from the band Los Bad Boys who ultimately helps Selena write her songs.
Gabriel Chavarria (East Los High, The Purge) plays A.B. Quintanilla, Selena's brother.
Noemí Gonzalez (The Young and the Restless) plays Suzette Quintanilla, Selena's sister. The real-life Suzette is also an executive producer on the Netflix series.
Madison Taylor Baez, a young actress and singer, plays Selena in her childhood years.
Seidy Lopez (Selena, Mi Vida Loca) plays Marcella Quintanilla, Selena's mother.
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Selena's family is involved.
When Netflix first announced plans for Selena: The Series, the streamer disclosed that it "was developed alongside and will be executive produced by The Quintanilla family."
Netflix shared from the start that the Tejano icon's family would be "fully involved" in the show, serving as executive producers: Jaime Dávila, Rico Martinez, Suzette Quintanilla, Abraham Quintanilla Jr., Simran A. Singh, and show creator Moisés Zamora (American Crime, Star), who's also writing the script, are all EPs.
"Selena will always have a lasting place in music history and we feel great responsibility to do justice to her memory," Suzette said in a statement. "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. 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."
J.Lo approves.
Lopez, who famously portrayed the singer for the 1997 film Selena, spoke highly of the upcoming series in a new video for the show.
"Guys, I don’ know if you’ve heard about this new Selena series on Netflix," she says in the clip. "Playing Selena was kind of a landmark moment in my career, and I was so excited when I saw the trailer and heard about it. It’s a great way for this generation to get to know Selena.
"I love Selena, she’s such a big part of my life and my career, and I can’t wait to see it. It’s on Netflix December 4."
This article originally appeared on Harper's BAZAAR US.
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