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Selena Gomez said she “couldn’t be luckier” to have found the “perfect” Hannah Baker for 13 Reasons Why after a long six-year wait.
And for anyone that’s binge-watched the hit Netflix series, it’s pretty hard to imagine anyone other than Katherine Langford in the starring role, but turns out someone else was originally meant to play Hannah — the Executive Producer herself, Selena G!
Think back to 2011 when Sel was mostly known for starring in Wizards of Waverly Place and Monte Carlo (with Leighton Meester and Cory Monteith), as well as her music with Selena Gomez and the Scene. And let’s not forget it was the year Jelena was born, after she went public with Justin Bieber. Ah, the memories.
At the time, Deadline reported that the Disney Channel star had landed the lead role and that her mum Mandy Teefey would be the Executive Producer. It was also initially planned as a movie for Universal Pictures.
But fast forward to 2017 and the project obviously became the Netflix series that we all know and love, with Selena stepping behind the cameras (alongside her mamma Teefey) and Aussie actress Katherine taking on the part of Hannah. So why did she turn it down?
“A book is frightening for me because I know the cult following it has, which is the reason why I didn’t want to be in it,” Sel dished to The Hollywood Reporter.
“After 6 years waiting to find the perfect Hannah and Clay for @13reasonswhy I couldn’t be luckier we cast these two 💜”
But that said, Sel revealed that she still has a deep personal connection to Hannah Baker.
“I see myself as Hannah so much,” she told THR. “Seven years ago I did and even more so today, which I think is funny because it’s backwards. The older I get the more insecure I get, which is odd.”
“But that’s something a lot of people can relate to. Her personality is a quiet strength. I’ve never really been the one to be in anyone’s face. A lot of girls feel like they have to be a certain way for attention. Social media has amplified all of that. I get that she didn’t want that to be what her life was.”
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