Selena’s family and Netflix hit with lawsuit over new series

Selena Quintanilla fans are counting down the days until the December 4 release of the coming-of-age Netflix series based on the legendary performer’s life. But as it turns out, someone else behind-the-scenes may be counting down the dollars now that Selena: The Series has been slapped with a new lawsuit.According to E! News, Moctesuma Esparza, who produced the 1997 film Selena starring Jennifer Lopez and Edward James Olmos, has filed a lawsuit against the late singer’s father and sister, Abraham and Suzette Quintanilla, along with Netflix. According to Esparza, Abraham signed a contract in 1995 giving the producer all rights to his daughter’s life stories, so he was surprised to hear about the Netflix show.In the suit, which both the publication and TMZ obtained, Esparza details how he and the surviving family members had sat down to discuss a series based on Selena’s life back in 1998. That project never went forward and now with Selena: The Series releasing its first part in less than a month, the producer claims that Netflix flat-out ignored his legal rights in the situation. Now he’s asking for a million dollars in damages.

 

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Here we go!!! Besitos ??? @netflix @selenanetflix

A post shared by Christian Serratos (@christianserratos) on Nov 12, 2019 at 6:11am PST

As E! News points out, in a 1995 interview with The Los Angeles Times Esparza specifically said he didn’t want the rights to Selena’s life story, and that he and the family had come to an informal agreement that the family would have final approval of the film’s script. In the lawsuit, however, the producer reveals that the issue resurfaced in 1998, at which point the agreement was reportedly finalized.At time of press no one from Netflix or the Quintanilla camp has responded to requests for comment and the series is proceeding as scheduled. For those keeping track, the show follows Christian Serratos (Twilight) as the young Tejano singer in her family band, and traces her transition into the solo artist and fashion icon that she became before her untimely death on March 31, 1995. She was just 23 years old when the president of her fan club, Yolanda Saldívar, fatally shot her in her hotel room.

 

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Join me today in #CelebratingSelena. ?✨ I can’t believe it’s been 23 years since this incredible movie came out and 25 years since her passing. Selena was such an inspiration to me and I was so lucky to be chosen to play her. As an artist, this movie truly was an experience I’m going to remember for the rest of my life. Please share your memories of Selena and the movie with me below.?❤️ ?: @louispalacios

A post shared by Jennifer Lopez (@jlo) on Mar 21, 2020 at 8:03am PDT

The 1997 film based on that rise and fall was written and directed by Gregory Nava. Selena earned plenty of critical acclaim when it hit theatres, and the movie landed Jennifer Lopez her first (and to this day only) Golden Globe nomination.For her take on the groundbreaking Mexican-American artist, Serratos spent hours studying footage and interviews in order to nail Selena’s confidence, mannerisms and accent. She even cut her own bangs for her audition after she learned that Selena was responsible for her own blunt-fringe look. “Her struggle was the struggle,” Serratos recently told Marie Claire. “She was working so hard to accomplish things as a woman, as a minority. I hope people see the walls she worked to tear down to be respected, to be heard.”[video_embed id='2049925']BEFORE YOU GO: 'Horse girl' from Alberta can gallop and jump just like a horse[/video_embed]