Selena Gomez just added a new project to her ever-growing resume. The pop star and beauty mogul will star in as music legend Linda Ronstadt in an upcoming biopic.
Gomez hinted at the news prior to the announcement, posting a photo of herself reading Ronstadt’s memoir, Simple Dreams, on her Instagram Story. Rolling Stone confirmed her casting shortly after.
Rondstadt, known for songs like “You’re No Good” and “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still In Love With You),” has 11 Grammys and is a trailblazer in rock, country, and Latin music. Both she and Gomez have Mexican heritage.
Rolling Stone reports that the film is still in pre-production (so it’s still too early to predict the release date) and no other casting announcements have been made. Ronstadt’s manager, John Boylan, and James Keach, a producer on 2019’s Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice documentary, are co-producing. It’s still unclear what Ronstadt’s personal involvement in the film will be.
Gomez seemed to tease the role as early as August 2023, posting photos of the singer and her quote, “The smell of the carpet in a hotel room is the same everywhere,” on Instagram. At the time, rumors were already bubbling up that she would play Ronstadt on screen.
The news comes after Gomez hinted at retiring from music after her next album. “I do feel like I have one more album in me, but I would probably choose acting,” she said on the podcast SmartLess.
Sure enough, after her recent Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, and this exciting new endeavor, she shows no sign of stopping on-screen.
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she’s listening to Lorde right now.