Disney On Board New Selena Series

MIAMI: Disney Media Distribution Latin America, BTF Media, Moconoco and LatinWE have begun production on Selena’s Secret (El Secreto de Selena), a new series about the famous singer.

The 13-episode series is based on the best-selling book El Secreto de Selena (Selena’s Secret) by María Celeste Arrarás. Selena’s Secret is inspired by the events surrounding the tragic death of Selena Quintanilla, who was murdered in the 1990s. The series is slated to air on TNT in Latin America and TV Azteca in Mexico.

“We’re happy and very excited to bring this story to the small screen,” said Fernando Barbosa, the senior VP and general manager of Disney Media Distribution and Production for Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic market at The Walt Disney Company Latin America. “Every fan of the great diva will know what really happened during and after her tragic end. I have no doubt that it will have great acceptance and success in the TV market.”

“I think the audience will love to discover Selena’s Secret (El Secreto de Selena), a super series produced by Disney, Moconoco, BTF and LatinWE, and based on the best seller from a journalist with such credibility and career path as María Celeste Arrarás,” added Luis Balaguer, the CEO and founder of LatinWE.

Francisco Cordero, the CEO of BTF Media, commented, “This great partnership will translate into a great production.”

“Selena’s Secret is the revealing story behind her tragic death,” remarked author Arrarás. “It is a very different tale [from] the official version told immediately after her murder. As it turns out, in the months prior to her death Selena was not as happy as we were led to believe. She was living in turmoil, surrounded by people who loved her but also wanted to manipulate her. Feeling pulled in different directions and torn inside, Selena was about to make life-changing decisions in both her personal and professional life when [she] was silenced by a single bullet.

“For many years, I wanted to bring Selena’s Secret to the screen, but it took me two decades to find the right team to make it happen. This real story about our beloved Selena has all the ingredients of a telenovela: lies, love, betrayal, intrigue, rise from rags to riches, suspense and so much more. It is a controversial but true tale, handled with the utmost respect for her memory. I have no doubt that just as the book became a best seller, the production of this series will break audience records.”