Jackie Cruz Is Overwhelmed With Emotion as She Performs a Selena Quintanilla Song at Fiesta de la Flor

Orange Is the New Black star did an impromptu performance along with the late singer's siblings

By Diana Marti Mar 28, 2017 12:00 AMTags

Jackie Cruz just made one of her dreams come true. 

For the past few days, she's bonded with Selena Quintanilla's family. Cruz was a part of a panel at the annual Fiesta de la Flor, where fans and musicians honor the late singer's legacy. 

The 30-year-old actress performed a last-minute performance with Selena's siblings Suzette and A.B. Quintanilla. Yes, we instantly got all the feels seeing the star in her Selena-inspired look. 

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"Impromptu moment with Los Dino's and Elektro Kumbia...This was probably the scariest thing I ever had to do in my life! Being embraced by Selena fans was so beautiful and unexpected! Thank you @suzettesyld and @Abquintanilla3 @fiestaflorcc I was so honored to jam with you guys and this moment will forever stay in my heart!," the Orange Is the New Black star captioned her Instagram post

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"Selena's fans have embraced me," Cruz told E! News on Friday. "It was amazing to be at the museum today and have fans call out my name." 

Cruz has been able to hear firsthand from Selena's family about who Selena was off the stage. 

"She always was what I imagined her to be. Just listening to her mom tell stories about her...it was just," she paused before continuing, "She made me cry, she always makes me cry."

The actress recalled being a little girl and seeing Selena perform for the first time. It was in her grandmother's hometown of Santiago, Dominican Republic, that Cruz overheard her Abuela talking about a young singer that had died. She instantly sat before her grandmother's old TV set and watched Selena's final concert that was airing. 

"Ever since that moment, I never forgot Selena."