Selena (film)
Selena is a 1997 biography about the life of Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez. The film details Selena's beginnings as a child performer up to her rise in stardom as a Latino and North American icon, ultimately culminating to her untimely and tragic death at the hands of her fan club manager, Yolanda Saldivar.
Jennifer Lopez stars in the lead role, and Edward James Olmos stars along side her as Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla. This film is notable for providing a Star-Making Role for Lopez.
Selena was added to the National Film Registry in 2021.
Tropes used in Selena (film) include:
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: Selena's husband was Chris Perez- who had long hair, wore punk clothes, and played heavy metal before performing with her.
- Bittersweet Ending: Happens off-camera when the Corpus Christi cops arrest Yolanda.
- Can't Get Away with Nuthin': Guess who killed Selena?
- Berserk Button: Abraham has it when Selena is in love with Chris.
- Butt Monkey: Played for Drama in some scenes by characters. Selena had one when she was ridiculed at school. She had more of it, especially with her dad's Berserk Button with Chris before having it again once again (on her final days of life). Yolanda Saldivar had one at the end.
- Downer Ending: The movie ends with Selena's death and a candlelight vigil being held in her honor.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Yolanda gets one of these mentions that she was involved in murder. She cries and says to another caller that she wanted to talk to her mother, but not before saying to "look what I've done to my best friend!"
- Fake Nationality: The movie got into a little hot water when they cast Lopez to play Selena. Some people felt that they should honor Selena's Mexican heritage by hiring a Mexican actress, instead of Lopez, who's Puerto Rican.
- Karma Houdini: While marriage is not a crime, it happens when Selena married Chris had a headline.
- Large Ham: Abraham and Suzzette.
- Loony Fan: Yolanda Saldivar, hands down.
- Motor Mouth: Abraham when he is angry at Selena. To a lesser instinct, Selena herself. Yolanda when she cries.
- Star-Making Role: Before she was the diva J-Lo, she made her mark with this movie as Jennifer Lopez, talented actress.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Tomboy Selena who enjoyed playing outdoors, vs. girly girl Suzette who did not want to be a drummer because "girls don't play drums".
- Too Dumb to Live: Yolanda after shooting Selena. As for Selena, she was too nice despite turning against Yolanda Saldivar.