¿Y Ahora? Where is the Cast of the Selena Bio Pic Today?

Updated on 4/16/2023 at 9:00 AM

For many Latinxs across the world, Selena Quintanilla was a singer who needed no introduction at the time of her stardom. Today — 26 years after her death — the late Tejano singer is still remembered as one of the brightest young performers in Latin-American music history. Various directors have tried to capture Selena's journey from a small-time performer to the beloved international icon she became. Still, one of the most memorable film adaptations is the 1997 biopic, "Selena." Directed by Gregory Nava, the movie premiered two years after her death and was spectacularly well-received by the public. Starring Jennifer Lopez as Selena, the film covers her start in music, her ascent to stardom, her whirlwind romance with fellow band member Chris Perez (played by Jon Seda), and her death at just 23 years old. Selena's own father worked as an executive producer on the film, helping to craft a narrative true to his daughter's legacy. Besides capturing Selena's artistic journey, a central part of the story's narrative is how she surpassed barriers with her music — not just as a performer of Mexican descent in America, but also as a woman in the male-dominated Tejano music genre. Heralded as the "Queen of Tejano Music," Selena represented a bridge between cultures for many Chicanos. Despite not speaking Spanish well, Selena sang almost exclusively in that language, breaking into the American music industry and scoring herself a Grammy. In the movie, Selena's father Abraham says, "We have to be more Mexican than the Mexicans and more American than the Americans — both at the same time! It's exhausting!" Both the movie "Selena" and the star herself show audiences that you don't have to pick a side; you can just come as you are. The movie remains a staple of Mexican-American film narratives and many viewers at the time considered this movie Lopez's big break. Still, she's not the only decorated actor to continue working on notable projects after the commercial success of this biopic — read on to find out where the cast of "Selena" is today.

--Additional reporting by Celia Fernandez

Jennifer Lopez as Selena Quintanilla

Since her first leading role as Selena Quintanilla, Jennifer Lopez has capitulated to international success as a household name across America and the Spanish-speaking world. Besides becoming a global music phenomenon in her own right, she's gone on to star in a multitude of movies in various genres. A few of her latest films include the 2019 comedic crime-drama "Hustlers," the 2022 rom-com "

Marry Me," and her latest movie of the same genre for Prime Video, "Shotgun Wedding." She also has a few acting projects lined up for 2023, including the upcoming thriller movie "The Mother." Besides an incredibly prolific acting career, Lopez has also overseen several TV series as an executive producer, including "The Fosters," "World of Dance," and most recently, the Freeform production starring Cierra Ramirez titled "Good Trouble."

Edward James Olmos as A.B. Quintanilla Jr.

Edward James Olmos gave an incredibly compelling performance in the role of the protective, yet loving Quintanilla patriarch Abraham. After his work on the "Selena" film, Olmos starred in several other movies, TV series, and short films. His most memorable works include his roles in the "Battlestar Galactica" series, the 1982 film "Blade Runner" and its 2017 sequel "Blade Runner 2049." Some of his recent projects include the movies "Walking with Herb," "Chasing Wonders," and the TV series "Mayans MC." He's also worked several voice acting gigs, including children's classics like "The Road to El Dorado," "Beverley Hills Chihuahua," and "Coco."

Jon Seda as Chris Perez

Jon Seda played the perfect on-screen heartthrob in the role of Chris, Selena's husband. Seda's candid acting in the duo's journey from a rocky secret romance to a loving and supportive marriage tugged at the fan's heartstrings. Since then, Seda has continued taking on main roles in series like "Chicago P.D." and "Chicago Fire." As of 2021, Seda starred on the TV show "La Brea" as Sam Velez.

Constance Marie as Marcella Quintanilla

Constance Marie gave a heartwarming performance as Marcella Quintanilla — Selena's patient and supportive mother, who encouraged the singer to come into her own as an independent, stylish young woman. Though some may say she is best known for her work as Connie in the hit ABC comedy "George Lopez," Marie has starred in several other successful projects, from portraying Regina Vasquez in Freeform's "Switched at Birth" to voicing Doña Paloma on Disney Junior's "Elena of Avalor." With a long list of acting credits in many other TV productions, the actress most recently worked on Prime Video's "Undone," and has since appeared in both "Lopez vs. Lopez" and "How I Met Your Father."

Jacob Vargas as Abie Quintanilla

Since his role as the easy-going Quintanilla oldest sibling, Jacob Vargas has starred in several productions of various genres, including multiple TV series, movies, and voice acting gigs. Most recently, you can spot him in the supernatural family adventure series "Surfside Girls" or in the Disney+ mystery adventure show "National Treasure: Edge of History."

Jackie Guerra as Suzette Quintanilla

Jackie Guerra starred as Selena's sister, someone who was very supportive of the singer's dreams throughout her childhood and well into adulthood. Since her role as Suzette, Guerra has starred in a few films and TV series throughout the early 2000s and late 90s, including the show "American Family" and the movie "Picking up the Pieces." Since the 2010s, she's been relatively offline, with seemingly no social media accounts and just one production in 2012, the film "Students Like Us."

Lupe Ontiveros as Yolanda Saldívar

Lupe Ontiveros portrays Yolanda Saldívar in the film, Selena's fan club president who murders her after it is revealed that Saldívar had been mishandling funds from the club. Ontiveros passed away in 2012, but she left behind a long list of film credits to her name, starring in notable productions such as "The Goonies," "As Good as it Gets," and "Chuck and Buck." She was also nominated for an Emmy for her performance as Juanita Solis on "Desperate Housewives."