In 1996, Danielle Camastra was a 17-year-old actress with a dream of playing the late Tejano music star Selena Quintanilla in the biopic Selena. After auditioning for the role, Camastra was chosen as the front runner for the part, but ultimately lost out to Jennifer Lopez.
Camastra was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and had been performing in local theater since she was 12. She was a fan of Selena’s music and was excited to audition for the role. Camastra said, “I was really passionate about the project and I wanted to do it justice.”
Camastra was chosen as the front runner for the role and began preparing for the part. She was sent to a vocal coach to work on her singing and took dance lessons to learn Selena’s choreography. She also worked with a dialect coach to perfect her Spanish accent.
However, despite all of her hard work, Camastra was ultimately passed over for the role. She said, “It was a huge disappointment. I had put so much into it and I was so close.”
The role of Selena eventually went to Jennifer Lopez, who was just starting her career at the time. Camastra said, “I was a little jealous, but I was also happy for her. She did a great job and it was a great opportunity for her.”
Although Camastra didn’t get the role of Selena, she continued to pursue her acting career. She has since appeared in numerous films and television shows, including “CSI: Miami” and “The Mentalist.”
Despite the disappointment of not getting the role of Selena, Camastra looks back on the experience fondly. She said, “It was a great learning experience and it gave me the confidence to keep going.”
