Selena Gomez responds to '13 Reasons Why' controversy

Selena Gomez has responded to criticism surrounding the show '13 Reasons Why' which she executive-produced. (Reuters)

Selena Gomez has come out in defense of controversial TV drama “13 Reasons Why.”

The 24-year-old actress and singer is an executive producer on the Netflix series, which has received widespread criticism for its graphic depictions of teenage rape and suicide.

“We stayed very true to the book. That’s initially what [author] Jay Asher created, a beautifully tragic, complicated yet suspenseful story, and I think that’s what we wanted to do,” Gomez told the AP.

“We wanted to do it justice and, yeah, [the backlash is] going to come no matter what,” she added.

“It’s not an easy subject to talk about.”

Click here to read more in the New York Post.