See How the 'Selena: The Series' Netflix Cast Compares to Their Real-Life Inspirations
Why do they all look so similar???
It's been over 20 years since the release of the Selena movie starring Jennifer Lopez, Now, the life of Selena Quintanilla is getting the TV show treatment. With part 2 of Selena: The Series premiering on Netflix May 4, it tells the story of Selena’s rise to fame from a little girl with a big voice in Texas to a hugely popular, Grammy-winning singer of Tejano music.
But Selena didn’t do it alone. The Netflix series is a family drama, featuring her parents, Abraham and Marcella Quintanilla, and her siblings and bandmates, A.B. and Suzette. The show will also feature the other members of Selena y Los Dinos, including the guitarist who would become Selena’s husband, Chris Pérez. Based on the reviews, the show is truly an ensemble cast.
“Selena will always have a lasting place in music history and we feel great responsibility to do justice to her memory,” Suzette, who along with Abraham is an executive producer, said in a statement to Netflix when the show was first announced. “With this series, viewers will finally get the full history of Selena, our family, and the impact she has had on all of our lives.”
While we wait for new episodes to drop, take a look at the cast of Selena: The Series and see how they compare to their real-life counterparts.
Selena Quintanilla
Known as the Queen of Tejano Music, Selena Quintanilla was one of the most popular Latin singers of the 1990s. As a child, she became the lead singer of her family band, Selena y Los Dinos, which later expanded to include many more members. Tragically, Selena was killed by Yolanda Saldívar, who was the president of a Selena fan club, in 1995 when she was only 23.
Christian Serratos
Christian Serratos stars as Selena. The actress is known for portraying Rosita in The Walking Dead, and for appearing in the Twilight franchise as Angela. In a statement on her Instagram in March 2020, Serratos wrote, “What I find most enduring about Selena is her ability to defy boundaries. She paved the way for Latinas and inspired so many to continue in the face of adversity. I will be forever grateful for the memories she has given me, and what she’s done for women like me and my daughter.”
Madison Taylor Baez
A younger Selena is played by 9-year-old Madison Taylor Baez. Baez is a young singer, primarily known for performing the national anthem at a number of pro sports games. Now, she’s taking on the huge role of playing Selena when she was an up-and-coming singer.
Abraham Quintanilla
Abraham Quintanilla is Selena’s father, and he was a musician himself. When he was younger, he was in a band called Los Dinos, which became the inspiration for the band he started with his children. Abraham is now 81-years-old and one of the executive producers of Selena: The Series. He's pictured here in 2012.
Ricardo Chavira
In the series, Abraham is portrayed by Ricardo Chavira, who Desperate Housewives fans will know as Carlos Solis, the husband of Eva Longoria’s character, Gabrielle. The actor has also had roles on Scandal, Jane the Virgin, and Santa Clarita Diet.
Marcella Quintanilla
Selena was very close with her mother, Marcella Quintanilla. You can watch each of them talking about their supportive relationship here.
Seidy López
In the series, Marcella is played by Seidy López, who has appeared on the shows like House, CSI, and Shameless, and in the film Training Day. López also had a small role in the Selena movie as Deborah, so now she’s coming back over 20 years later in a much bigger part.
A.B. Quintanilla
Selena had two siblings: an older brother, A.B., and an older sister Suzette. A.B.—aka Abraham Quintanilla III—played bass in Selena y Los Dinos and wrote or co-wrote songs, including the hit “Como La Flor”.
Gabriel Chavarria
The adult character of A.B. is played by Gabriel Chavarria. The actor has previously appeared in the films Freedom Writers and War for the Planet of the Apes. He also starred in the TV series adaptation of The Purge.
Juan Martinez
The younger version of A.B. is played by Juan Martinez. You might have seen him in Grey's Anatomy, or Triple Frontier.
Suzette Quintanilla
Selena’s sister Suzette Quintanilla was the drummer for Selena y Los Dinos. She is also an executive producer of Selena: The Series.
Noemi Gonzalez
Adult Suzette is played by Noemi Gonzalez. The actress previously starred on The Young & the Restless and on the Hulu series East Los High. Coincidentally, the latter also featured Gabriel Chavarria, who plays her brother in Selena: The Series.
Chris Perez
Chris Pérez was Selena’s husband. He joined the Los Dinos as the lead guitarist in the late ‘80s, and he and Selena started a romantic relationship. They eloped in 1992. While Selena’s father and sister are involved with the Netflix series, Pérez is not. In April 2020, he posted a photo of the actor who is going to play him on Instagram and wrote, “Here is a pic I just saw of the actor playing me in the Netflix series. For the record, never met him, haven't seen the script, and I have NO idea what is going on.....but, I'd love to find out.”
Jesse Posey
The actor Pérez posted in the photo on Instagram was Jesse Posey. Posey is the younger brother of Teen Wolf star Tyler Posey, and Selena: The Series will be one of his first big acting roles.
Pete Astudillo
Pete Astudillo was a backup singer for Selena and also a songwriter with credits including “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” and “Como La Flor”. He also had a solo career as a Tejano singer.
Julio Macias
Astudillo is played by Julio Macias, best known for playing Oscar aka “Spooky” on the Netflix series On My Block. “It's a beautiful homage to Selena," Macias told People en Español of the show. "She became such an icon so quickly and was then taken away from us. Praise J.Lo and everyone who made that first movie, but that was just a quick synopsis of everything Selena was, and Selena's story is about all of the Quintanillas."
Ricky Vela
Ricky Vela (right) was another member of Los Dinos. He was a keyboardist and is also a songwriter.
Hunter Reese Peña
And Hunter Reese Peña portrays Ricky onscreen. This is one of his first major acting roles, but he has acted in short films before.
José Behar
José is a music executive who signed Selena to EMI Latin, her record label. After Selena passed away, he said about the artist, "She would have been up there with the Janets and the Madonnas."
Rico Aragon
Rico takes on the role of José in Selena: The Series. He was in a show called I Live with Models, which just shot up to the very top of my queue.
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