María Celeste Arrarás spent many years investigating the death of singer Selena Quintanilla. After years of interviews with people closely involved in the star's life, the Emmy award-winning journalist published El Secreto de Selena.
Disney Media Distribution Latin America, BTF Media, Moconoco y Latin WE announced Jan. 16 that they are producing a TV series based on this best-selling book.
"El Secreto de Selena is the revealing story behind her tragic death. It is a story very different from the official version that was told immediately after his murder. It turns out that in the months before her death, Selena was not as happy as many thought. She was living through a tumultuous moment in her life; she was surrounded by people that loved her but also wanted to manipulate her. She felt that she was being pulled in different directions and she was torn. Selena was about to take various decisions in her life that were going to change her personal and professional life forever," Arrarás said.
The journalist and author said that for many years she's wanted to bring this story to life, but she hadn't found the right team for it. "This real story of our beloved Selena has all of the ingredients of a telenovela: lies, love, betrayal, suspense and a lot more. It is a controversial story, but it is also a real story that is handled with the utmost respect for her memory. I have no doubt that just as the book became a bestseller, the production of this series will break audience records," Arrarás explained when asked about the series.
Luis Balaguer said that they are proud of the project, as the story comes from a journalist with the credibility and trajectory of María Celeste.