The Emilia Perez cast features Zoe Saldana as Rita, Karla Sofía Gascón as Manitas/Emilia and Selena Gomez as Jessi. This info article contains minor spoilers and character details for Jacques Audiard’s 2024 Netflix movie. Check out more cast guides in Vague Visages’ Know the Cast category.

Emilia Perez takes place in Mexico. When a cartel boss requests a sex change, a lawyer named Rita helps him begin a new life. The narrative follows the main players as they protect a secret from the focal gangster’s wife and children. Here’s every actor and character in Emilia Perez, an adaptation of Boris Razon’s 2018 novel Écoute.

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘The Shadow Strays’

Emilia Perez Cast: Zoe Saldana as Rita

Character Profile: A Mexican lawyer from Veracruz. She helps a male cartel boss begin a new life as a woman. Rita runs a non-profit organization with “Emilia.”

Saldana’s Resume: Neytiri in Avatar Movie Franchise (2009-), Gamora in the MCU (2014-), Rosa Hernández in Vivo (2021), Amy in From Scratch (2022), Joe in Lioness (2022-23)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Hot Frosty’

Emilia Perez Cast: Karla Sofía Gascón as Manitas/Emilia

Character Profile: A Mexican cartel boss. He receives a sex change operation and begins a new life as a woman. Emilia reunites with her family upon returning to Mexico to run a non-profit organization that identifies murder victims.

Gascón’s Resume: Branko in Wild Heart (2009-10), Peter Pintado in We Are the Nobles (2013), Alan in Until the End of Time (2014-15), Iñaki Izarrieta in El Señor de los Cielos (2014), Lourdes in Rebelde (2022)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Time Cut’

Emilia Perez Cast: Selena Gomez as Jessi

Character Profile: Manitas’ wife. She relocates to Switzerland with her children. Jessi unknowingly reunites with her husband, now known as Emilia, while planning a new life with her lover.

Gomez’s Resume: An American Pop Star — Also, Alex Russo in Wizards of Waverly Place (2007-12), Faith in Spring Breakers (2012), Mavis Dracula in the Hotel Transylvania Movie Franchise (2012-), Mabel Mora in Only Murders in the Building (2021-)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Meet Me Next Christmas’

Emilia Perez Cast: Adriana Paz as Epifania

Character Profile: The wife of a murder victim. She expresses happiness upon learning about her husband’s death. Epifania begins a romantic relationship with Emilia.

Paz’s Resume: Miranda in The Empty Hours (2013), Hilda in Hilda (2014), Mexican Woman in Lift in Spectre (2015), Julia in Chupa (2023), María in Sangre llama sangre (2024)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Don’t Move’

Emilia Perez Cast: Edgar Ramírez as Gustavo Brun

Character Profile: Jessi’s love interest. He had an affair with her in the past. Gustavo plans to start a new life with Jessi.

Ramírez’s Resume: Ilich Ramírez Sánchez in Carlos (2010), Roberto Duran in Hands of Stone (2016), Gianni Versace in American Crime Story (2018), Detective Joe Mendoza in The Undoing (2020), Mike Valentine in Florida Man (2023)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Woman of the Hour’

The Emilia Perez cast also includes:

• Mark Ivanir as Dr. Wasserman
• Eduardo Aladro as Berlinger
• Emiliano Hasan as Gabriel Mendoza
• Gaël Murguia-Fur as Angel as a Teen
• Tirso Pietriga as Diego as a Teen
• Xiomara Melissa Ahumada Quito as Woman in Black
• Magali Brito as La Ponchis
• Jarib dit Javier Zagoya Montiel as Chaplain
• Sébastien Fruit as El Flaco
• Alejandra Reyes as Rosa/Courtroom Cleaning Lady

Q.V. Hough (@QVHough) is Vague Visages’ founding editor.