Selena has become a big hit on streaming. Written and directed by Gregory Nava, the 1997 biopic stars Jennifer Lopez as the тιтular Tejano music star Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, following the true story of the singer’s rise to fame, including performing at the Astrodome and achieving several number one albums, to her tragic murder at the age of 23.

In addition to Lopez in the lead role, the cast also includes Oscar and Emmy nominee Edward James Olmos (Stand and Deliver, Miami Vice), Constance Marie, Jon Seda, Lupe Ontiveros, Jackie Guerra in her film debut, Jacob Vargas, Alex Meneses, John Verea, Ruben Gonzalez, Seidy López, Pete Astudillo, Ricky Vela, and Don Shelton.

Now, 28 years after its original release, Selena ranks fourth on HBO Max’s Top 10 movies in the United States for today, September 30, where it has been for the past two days. It ranks below Superman, Warfare, Friendship, and above It, The Sitter, Se7en, Caleb Hearon: Model Comedian, Salem’s Lot, and The Cabin in the Woods.

What Selena’s Streaming Success Means For The Movie

Selena‘s streaming success, almost three decades after its original release, highlights how much the movie has endured over the years, largely due to Jennifer Lopez’s breakthrough performance in the lead role, which led to her subsequent rise to fame. Afterward, she established herself as the highest-paid Latina actress with leading roles in Anaconda (1997) and Out of Sight (1998).

Though the movie received somewhat mixed reviews, indicated by its 66% Rotten Tomatoes score, as Selena sometimes falls short in conveying its subject’s story with depth or perspective, Lopez’s performance makes those shortcomings mostly unimportant. For her performance, she earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy.

Though the movie only performed modestly at the box office, making $35.7 million against its $20 million budget, Selena has certainly shown staying power over the years. In 2021, it was chosen for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant” and was re-released in theaters in 2022 to mark its 25th anniversary.

Our Take On Selena’s Streaming Success

Nearly three decades later, Selena is still one of Jennifer Lopez’s best movies, and a career-defining performance that continues to resonate with audiences. Her meticulous preparation and heartfelt portrayal brought Selena’s vibrant spirit to life, making the movie both a loving tribute to the Tejano singer and an enduring classic in the music biopic genre.

Selena‘s recent streaming resurgence proves that Lopez’s performance is still captivating audiences and capturing the singer’s legacy to this day.