Selena Gomez To Play Openly Gay Mountaineer Silvia Vásquez-Lavado In New Biopic

KEY POINTS

Selena Gomez is set to portray notable mountaineer Silvia Vásquez-Lavado in a new biopic
The movie, enitled “In the Shadow of the Mountain,” will be directed by Elgin James
Vásquez-Lavado is the first openly gay mountaineer to complete the Seven Summits

Selena Gomez will showcase her acting prowess once again when she portrays Peruvian mountaineer Silvia Vásquez-Lavado in an upcoming biopic.

The 28-year-old pop star has signed on to play Vásquez-Lavado in an upcoming biopic written and directed by Elgin James, The Hollywood Reporter learned. Entitled “In the Shadow of the Mountain,” the movie is based on a memoir of the same name.

The mountaineer also confirmed the news on her official Twitter account, and said she felt honored that Gomez accepted the chance to work on the project.

Grateful for the @THR amazing news. Honored for the bold, talented, and brilliant @selenagomez to have the starring role and producer in the adaptation of In the Shadow of the Mountain; To the visionary #donnagiglioti; The talented #elginjames; and brilliance of Scott Budnick! 🙌🏽 https://t.co/U8NRC7UYZY
— Silvia Vasquez-Lavado (@silviavasla) November 12, 2020

Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Vásquez-Lavado is the first Peruvian woman to summit Mount Everest. She achieved that monumental feat in May 2016. She also is the first openly gay woman to complete the Seven Summits.

In 2015, she was featured on Fortune’s “Heroes of the 500” list. The publication noted that Vásquez-Lavado chose to connect with the mountains, so that she could heal herself from all the past experiences of sexual violence that she endured during her childhood.

The “Lose You To Love Me” hitmaker will also be producing the movie alongside Scott Budnick. Budnick is known for producing film such as “The Hangover,” “War Dogs,” and “Just Mercy.” Oscar-winner Donna Gigliotti also will be one of the producers.

Gigliotti has been nominated for four Oscars. and emerged victorious in 1999 for “Shakespeare In Love.” She has been attached to various big Hollywood projects such as “Silver Linings Playbook,” “The Reader,” “Hidden Figures,” and “Beasts of No Nation.” She also produced the 2019 Academy Awards.

Vásquez-Lavado and Lara Love Hardin are executive producing the project.

Speaking about the project, Gigliotti told THR that she is really excited to work with such amazing people and tell the world a story that is filled with “resilience, courage, adventure, and humanity.”

Similarly, Budnick said that thay “are thrilled to get to work bringing Silvia’s incredible and inspiring story to life onscreen .”

Gomez's previous roles were in films such as “Monte Carlo,” “Spring Breakers,” “The Big Short,” and “The Dead Don’t Die.”