Advertisement

Eva Longoria honors Selena Quintanilla: 'My idol, my inspiration'

"She blazed the way for all of us and I will be forever grateful to her," the actress said.

By Annie Martin
Eva Longoria at the Cannes International Film Festival screening of "Money Monster" on May 12. The actress will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017. File Photo by David Silpa/UPI
1 of 3 | Eva Longoria at the Cannes International Film Festival screening of "Money Monster" on May 12. The actress will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017. File Photo by David Silpa/UPI | License Photo

LOS ANGELES, July 1 (UPI) -- Eva Longoria is honoring Selena Quintanilla's formative influence on her life.

The 41-year-old actress paid tribute to the late Tejano singer in an Instagram post Thursday after the Hollywood Walk of Fame announced both women will receive stars in 2017.

Advertisement

"I could never have dreamed that one day I would receive a star," Longoria wrote. "But even more ironic is that the same year I receive my star, so does my idol, my inspiration, my fellow Tejana, my fellow Corpus Christi native, Selena Quintanilla."

"She was the reason I even dared to dream that a better life was possible. And that life didn't have to distance you from where you came from," she explained. "Selena was proud of being from Corpus Christi, Texas. And that made me proud to be from Corpus."

"She blazed the way for all of us and I will be forever grateful to her for not only that but for the pure joy I felt when I got to see her perform," the star added. "Thank you Selena. I know I will receive my star on the Walk of Fame because you dared to dream it first."

Advertisement

Quintanilla released four studio albums before she was killed by former friend Yolanda Saldivar at age 23 in 1995. Longoria previously reflected on the singer's legacy with George Lopez on Lopez Tonight in 2010.

"Amazing woman. She would have been bigger than all of us," the actress said.

I could never have dreamed that one day I would receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. But even more ironic is that the same year I receive my star, so does my idol, my inspiration, my fellow Tejana, my fellow Corpus Christi native, Selena Quintanilla. She was the reason I even dared to dream that a better life was possible. And that that life didn't have to distance you from where you came from. So many people become famous and leave a place without ever crediting it with the role it played in shaping their lives. Selena was proud of being from Corpus Christi, Texas. And that made me proud to be from Corpus. She blazed the way for all of us and I will be forever grateful to her for not only that but for the pure joy I felt when I got to see her perform. Her smile, her charisma, her beauty put every single person who watched her under a spell. Thank you Selena. I know I will receive my star on the Walk of Fame because you dared to dream it first. ⭐⭐⭐

Advertisement

A photo posted by Eva Longoria Baston (@evalongoria) on

Longoria, Quintanilla and 32 other entertainment figures will receive stars in 2017. The plaques recognize achievements in motion pictures, broadcast television, audio recording and music, broadcast radio and theater/live performances.

Latest Headlines