Selena Gomez relieved focus on Cannes entry 'Emilia Perez,' not personal life

Director Jacques Audiard and cast members Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez pose during a photocall for the film "Emilia Perez" in competition at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 19, 2024. REUTERS

Selena Gomez said that she was relieved focus had shifted to her role in the new Mexican cartel musical "Emilia Perez" rather than her personal life, the singer told Reuters on Sunday.

"It's a relief. I'd rather somebody say I did a terrible job than talk about my personal life. So, I feel very proud," Gomez said at the Cannes Film Festival a day after the premiere of the film, which received a standing ovation for nine minutes.

The former Disney star added that she made up just a small part of the "incredible masterpiece" that is "Emilia Perez," which also stars Zoe Saldana and Karla Sofia Gascon.

The film directed by Jacques Audiard about a Mexican drug lord who transitions from male to female and starts a nonprofit dedicated to finding the bodies of disappeared people, is in the running for the festival's top prize, the Palme d'Or.

Gomez, who also co-stars with Steve Martin and Martin Short in the Hulu streaming series "Only Murders in the Building," is the most-followed woman on Instagram with 428 million followers.

Such a large following puts her life under intense public scrutiny and generates headlines that speculate about her personal relationships as well as mental and physical health.

The singer who has posted candidly about having lupus and bipolar disorder told broadcaster NBC's "Today" show this month that she has decided to limit comments on her account to only friends as a way to set boundaries.