In a recent conversation with Shawn Stockman for his podcast On That Note, Suzette Quintanilla, the sister of renowned late Tejano singer, Selena Quintanilla, reflected on the origins behind the famed biographical film about her sibling. The discussion coincided with the 30th commemorative anniversary of Selena’s iconic album, ‘Dreaming of You’. Suzette confessed to Stockman the circumstances that persuaded the family to back the notable drama.
Suzette revealed, ‘The decision to create the movie was effectively forced upon us.’ The family felt the impetus to maintain control over the narrative following Selena’s untimely death, as rumors surfaced that Hollywood was swiftly planning a film on Selena. Suzette emphasized their fears, ‘Without control over the movie, they could have imbued it with any narrative they wanted, and so our father decided that we should take the lead.’
Selena Quintanilla’s life was cut short in a tragic event when she was killed by Yolanda Saldívar in March 1995. The subsequent biopic about Selena starring Jennifer Lopez, a performance that garnered her a Golden Globe nomination, was officially released in the year 1997.
The family wasn’t actively considering a film on Selena’s life in the immediate aftermath of her passing. Suzette admitted, ‘The thought of a movie was far from our minds initially, it seemed too early.’ The movie was released only two years following Selena’s demise and it was met with some criticism, with many claiming it was a monetary pursuit. Suzette voiced her concerns over these allegations.
In a recent development from December 2024, Yolanda Saldívar made an appeal for parole due to a spotless slate during her time in prison. The condition of her good behavior in prison provided grounds for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to debate her release after a 30-year term.
Nearing the end of March, the parole board decided against granting parole to Saldívar. The board’s refusal stemmed from the ‘brutality, violence, and assaultive behavior’ witnessed in the crime committed by Saldívar. They issued a statement asserting that her actions demonstrated “a conscious disregard for the safety of others”, subsequently labeling her a ‘continuing threat to public safety.’
Following the denial of her parole in March, a family member of Saldívar chose to state anonymously that ‘[Yolanda] owns up to her wrong actions.’ They went on to add context to Saldívar’s frame of mind during her encounter with Selena, arguing that the aggressive confrontation from Selena created a frantic reaction in Saldívar, which led to the unfortunate incident.
The anonymous source further elaborated, ‘She was dumbfounded by the intensity of Selena’s confrontation; everything spiraled out of control so quickly. Had Selena addressed her in a different manner, this dreadful event may have been averted.’
Armando Saldívar, Yolanda’s brother, made a rather cryptic statement in April. He claimed, ‘The whole truth is not yet publicly known, and it may not be pleasing to the masses.’ He alluded to the night of the fatal incident suggesting that his sister had plans to end her own life.
The post Suzette Quintanilla Reveals Family’s Struggle Behind Selena Biopic appeared first on Real News Now.
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