'Taken too soon': Jennifer Lopez, Demi Lovato honor Selena on 25th anniversary of her death
Celebrities are honoring the legacy of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez on the 25th anniversary of the Tejano music icon's death.
Quintanilla-Pérez, widely known around the world as Selena, was shot to death on March 31, 1995 by her former fan club president Yolanda Saldívar, who's currently serving a life sentence in Texas.
Despite the passing of a quarter of a century, Quintanilla-Pérez lives on in the hearts of many fans worldwide and continues to positively impact their lives.
"We miss and love you, you were taken too soon and will forever be an inspiration to me… RIP angel… I wish I knew you and that laugh," Demi Lovato wrote on her Instagram Stories Tuesday.
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The "Skyscraper" singer posted a series of pictures in honor of Quintanilla-Pérez, including a picture of Jennifer Lopez eating pizza while portraying the star in the 1997 biopic "Selena."
"This scene taught me at a young age, it’s okay to eat pizza as a popstar," Lovato wrote. "It sounds insignificant but having struggled for years with an eating disorder, this impacted me in a way I never forgot. Selena lived her truth everyday. She didn’t care what people thought of her and he lived her life according to her values: music and family. She broke barriers as a Latina woman and as an artist."
Last week, Lopez celebrated Quintanilla-Pérez on Instagram, calling the Tejano star "an inspiration" and described her time working on the biopic an "important time in my life."
"I can’t believe it’s been 23 years since this incredible movie came out and 25 years since her passing," Lopez captioned the video. "I was so lucky to be chosen to play her. As an artist, this movie truly was an experience I'm going to remember for the rest of my life."
In the Instagram video, which featured clips of Lopez and Quintanilla-Pérez, the entertainer added: "God sent me that role for a reason so I could learn from her, so I could always have her as an inspiration."
More stars joined in on paying tribute to Quintanilla-Pérez.
Salma Hayek, who is Mexican-American, tweeted: "Remembering Latin legend Selena, who we lost 25 years ago. But who will always stay in our hearts 'Ayyy como me duele' #Selena25.
Fifth Harmony member Ally Brooke, a San Antonio native, called Quintanilla-Pérez her "hero." The singer shared a routine dedicated to Quintanilla-Pérez during her run on "Dancing With The Stars" in 2019.
"Can’t believe it’s been 25 years," she tweeted. "This was my tribute that I did for Selena on Dancing with the Stars. The rumba to 'Dreaming of You.' To my hero. I love you forever. #Selena25"
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Selena: Jennifer Lopez, Demi Lovato, more stars pay tribute