The New York fan premiere of Office Romance took over Regal Union Square on Tuesday night, where Netflix also hosted a live taping of Tefi Pessoa’s podcast, Tefi Talks.
Best known for chatting with her “work besties” about everything from dating to career moves, Pessoa stepped away from her usual studio setup for a live interview with Office Romance stars Jennifer Lopez and Edward James Olmos.
During the conversation, Lopez and Olmos reminisced about Selena, the film that marked the beginning of their on-screen father-daughter relationship nearly three decades ago.
Looking back on the film, Lopez described how playing Selena transformed her career. “For me it changed everything in my life. I was the first Latin actress to make a million dollars for a movie. It inspired me to go after my dreams of being a singer. I hadn’t done that until Selena.”
Olmos also spoke about the film’s lasting impact, calling Selena one of the most meaningful projects of his career: “It’s the best experience I’ve had in bringing up the understanding of our culture, it really is a movie that today resonates even stronger than it did when we finished it.”
The conversation also touched on the evolution of Latino representation in Hollywood. Lopez noted that opportunities for Latina performers were not always as readily available when she first entered the industry. She also emphasized the importance of portraying characters in positions of power, including Jackie Cruz, the airline CEO she plays in Office Romance. “It’s important that I am the Latina CEO, it’s important that you see us all in these different ways and in fun movies. Those things matter.”
Office Romance, starring Jennifer Lopez, Edward James Olmos, and Brett Goldstein, will premiere on Netflix on Friday, June 5.
