Jennifer Lopez vs Christian Serratos: Whose Selena Is More Accurate

Who delivers the more accurate portrayal of Selena Quintanilla – Jennifer Lopez (Selena) or Christian Serratos (Selena: The Series)? Both performers impressively capture the spirit and charisma of the iconic Tejano singer, but only one of them has that special X factor.

Both Selena and Selena: The Series chronicle the subject’s upbringing in Texas and the circumstances that inspired Abraham Quintanilla to create a band with his young daughter as the lead vocalist. Whereas the 1997 film emphasizes Selena’s star power and commercial appeal, the 2020 Netflix series invests more time in the family dynamics, as the group Selena y Los Dinos includes Selena’s siblings Suzette (drums) and A.B. (bass guitar/producer). Both productions also examine Selena’s romantic relationship with bandmate Chris Pérez, whom she would ultimately marry in 1992. The big difference between Selena and Selena: The Series, however, is that the Netflix series ends in 1990 and sets up a second part about the subject’s evolution into a superstar.

The movie Selena clocks in at 127 minutes, and Selena: The Series on Netflix consists of nine episodes that range from 36 to 40 minutes. As actresses, Lopez and Serratos are tasked with delivering faithful stage performances, all the while trying to ensure that a world of fans aren’t disappointed by the basic characterization of a beloved Tejano star. Here’s a breakdown of the little things that distinguish the two performances from each other.

General Characterization: Jennifer Lopez

Lopez delivers the more accurate characterization of Selena. For one, it’s important to consider her own entertainment career in 1997, as she had only appeared in a handful of films and was mostly unknown in pop culture. So, Lopez’s raw star power matters – both then and now – along with her handling of the scripted material. For example, she effectively conveys Selena’s vulnerability and tender side, but the performance also features several comedic moments that feel genuinely authentic and organic.

Serratos embodies Selena’s naïveté as a teenager, along with her professional determination, but she mostly grounds the narrative with a balanced performance that complements the supporting players. In Selena, there’s genuine passion between the singer and Chris. In Selena: The Series, however, the romance feels tamed down in comparison. Lopez just seems to offer more with her improvisation skills and dialogue delivery.

Performance Sequences: Jennifer Lopez

Lopez has the clear edge for the stage sequences, as she was a backup dancer for New Kids on the Block during the early ’90s, and later performed as one of the Fly Girls on the sketch comedy series In Living Color. As Selena, she goes beyond the technicalities of the required performances and infuses a little extra spunk that makes each stage sequence feel natural and authentic.

Serratos always appears to be having the time of her life in Selena: The Series, but she seems more focused on mirroring the physical movements of her subject. Serratos captures all the theatrics of a Selena performance – the hands, the facial expressions, the stage movements – but simply doesn’t have the same infectious groove that Lopez communicates in the 1997 film.

Degree Of Difficulty Factor: Tie

In 1996, Lopez faced backlash after being cast as Selena, primarily because of her Puerto Rican heritage. There was also the inherent pressure of portraying a Mexican-American icon not long after her death. Lopez ultimately delivered a Golden Globe-nominated performance, one that essentially transformed her into a household name. Her subsequent career accomplishments in both music and movies make Selena somewhat of a late ’90s gem, as it shows a superstar-in-the-making portraying just that.

For Serratos, her Netflix gig was similarly hugely demanding, as the easy availability of the real Selena performing means that her characterization can be easily picked apart. What’s especially intriguing about Serratos, though, is that she approached the project knowing that she’d have to deliver a much different performance with part 2. When discussing her Selena role (via The Oprah Magazine), Serratos discussed her preparation process and teased what’s to come:

“The first part was nerve-racking because there was less footage for me to base my performance on. But at the same time it was more relaxed, because I got more liberty. People don’t know that version of Selena very much… Our second part we’re going to see a lot more of the icon. I had a lot more to base the performance on—but it was nerve-racking because people know that Selena so well. There was added pressure.”

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Q.V. Hough
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Q.V. Hough is a senior writer at Screen Rant. He’s also the founding editor at Vague Visages, and has contributed to RogerEbert.com and Fandor.

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