How Cast Of Selena: The Series Compares To The People Who Lived It

It's always high stakes for an actor to play a real person, but the pressure was magnified for Netflix's Selena: The Series. The singer is such an icon and a beloved artist for so many. And since Jennifer Lopez already portrayed her in the 1997 biopic Selena, it's hard to imagine anyone else playing Selena. However, the Selena series cast members were able to embody not just Selena, but all of her band and family members in their own way that still rings true to history.

It helps that the series was executive produced by Selena's own sister Suzette Quintanilla. Noemi Gonzalez told Queerty that Suzette's involvement was paramount in helping the cast getting into character. "[She] gave us tapes for us to listen to of memories and stories," Gonzalez recalled.

There were also countless hours of performance footage for the cast to draw inspiration from as they learned how their characters moved, talked, and played music.

Most of the actors also look really similar to the people they're playing (thanks in part to some hair and costume wizardry). It's almost like watching Selena Y Los Dinos play again.

Here's what fans need to know about the people playing some of the most famous faces in Tejano music — including the brave actor who took on the role of Selena herself.