Selena Gomez Plays What? Singer-Actress Takes Bold Challenge for New Biopic
Selena Gomez is ready to take on a new challenging role for an upcoming biopic.
On Wednesday, it has been confirmed that Selena will play the role of mountaineer Silvia Vasquez-Lavado, who is also an openly gay woman.
Vasquez-Lavado shared the news on her Instagram account, confirming the casting and expressing her excitement for Gomez to play her persona.
"I am so humbled and grateful to share this thrilling news, which has been in the works for the last 10 months, that an all-star team has optioned my upcoming memoir ... for a movie adaptation," she wrote.
The newest flick will be written and directed by Elgin James and will based on Vasquez-Lavado's memoir, "In the Shadow of the Mountain."
Since the mountaineer's memoir will be published in 2022, fans can expect the biopic to be released near that timeline.
The Peruvian-American explorer also called Selena a "bold, talented, and brilliant" actress who is the best fit for the role.
The biopic is expected to show how Vasquez-Lavado became the first openly gay woman to compete in the Seven Summits, which is a challenge to climb the higest mountains in each continent. She completed the record in June 2018.
Netizens Disapprove Selena To Play Gay?
Although this would give the 28-year-old star a chance to try a different role, netizens cannot seem to support the casting decision.
One fan said, "would have liked to see an actual Peruvian or even an actual gay actress get this part. not everything needs to be given to well known faces."
Another one wrote, "I love that when the LGBT community calls out the movie industry for casting Selena Gomez as a gay woman, her stans' first response is "be grateful we're even getting a movie about a gay person at all..." [sic]
"But she's not gay. Where are all the lesbian actresses," one Twitter user added.
While most people refused to see her take on the role, Selena herself actually once spoke about her sexuality.
In 2015, the "Lose You To Love Me" singer sat for an interview with Between the Lines. During that time, the outlet asked her whether she ever questioned or thought anything about her sexuality.
According to the singer, she did--and she thinks everybody does.
"No matter who they are. I do, yeah, of course. Absolutely. I think it's healthy to gain a perspective on who you are deep down, question yourself and challenge yourself; it's important to do that," Selena revealed at the time.
Selena Gomez, Silvia Vasquez-Lavado Had Fair Share of Dark Past
Although Selena does not have the same sexuality as Vasquez-Lavado, the two actually have similarities.
For the singer's part, she detailed the story of her depression and anxiety in her latest album "Rare. She also opened up about how her bipolar disorder worsened during the pandemic lockdown.
Moreover, Selena recently penned an article on CNN Style where she tackled how one's appearance can affect mental health.
"I think admitting I am a human being, and not perfect - nobody is - was actually more beneficial to the people that looked up to me," the singer said.
Meanwhile, Vasquez-Lavado is a survivor of sexual abuse when she was still a child. This pushed her to launch "Courageous Girls" to help the survivors of abuse and violence.
She also traveled to Mount Everest's base and accompanied a group of Nepalese girls who became human trafficking victims in India.
