Selena Gomez

NAME Selena Marie Gomez

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Selena Gomez is an American singer, actress, and producer best known for her Disney Channel role in Wizards of Waverly Place, her chart-topping music career, and her globally successful beauty brand, Rare Beauty.

BIRTH Selena Marie Gomez was born on July 22, 1992, in Grand Prairie, Texas. She was born when her mother, Amanda "Mandy" Dawn Cornett (now Teefey), was just 16 years old.

FAMILY BACKGROUND Gomez comes from a multicultural background. Her father, Ricardo Joel Gomez, is of Mexican descent, with his family emigrating from Monterrey, Mexico to Texas in the 1970s. Her mother, Mandy, is of Italian ancestry and was adopted by an American family. Gomez has called herself "a proud third-generation American-Mexican".

When Selena was five years old, her parents divorced. Her mother later married Brian Teefey in 2006, and they had a daughter, Gracie Elliot Teefey, born on June 12, 2013. Through her father's second marriage to Sara, Selena has a half-sister, Victoria "Tori" Gomez, and a stepbrother named Marcus.

CHILDHOOD Selena's childhood was marked by financial hardship after her parents' divorce. She and her mother lived "paycheck-to-paycheck," with Mandy working three jobs to provide for them. Gomez has recalled times when their car ran out of gas because they couldn't afford to fill the tank. Despite these struggles, her mother took her to museums, aquariums, and concerts to broaden her world view. (1)

Her grandparents played a significant role in her upbringing, essentially raising her until she found success in entertainment. Selena appeared in various pageants as a child and was described as "artistic and sociable" from a young age. (2)

She was just seven when she joined Barney & Friends, appearing alongside the purple dinosaur from 2002 to 2004 — where she met her future friend Demi Lovato. Even though it was a children’s show, Gomez said she matured quickly on set: “Even though it was a kids' show, I was surrounded by adults all day,” she recalled. “I started to talk about things I probably wasn't old enough for.” (3)

EDUCATION Selena attended Danny Jones Middle School in Mansfield, Texas, until seventh grade. She has revealed that during her school years, she was never one of the popular girls and was constantly bullied. 

As her acting career began to take off, she switched to homeschooling. She earned her high school diploma through homeschooling in May 2010, announcing on Facebook: "What are the odds......Today I graduated from high school and got my diploma!!!!!".

CAREER RECORD 2002-2004 Gomez landed a role on the children's television show Barney & Friends

2007-2012 Her breakthrough came when she was cast as Alex Russo in Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place, which ran until 2012. The series made her a household name.

2008-2012 She formed her first band, Selena Gomez & The Scene, which released three albums

2013 Gomez launched her solo music career 

2020 She founded Rare Beauty, which became a cultural phenomenon.

APPEARANCE Selena Gomez has naturally dark brown, curly hair and dark brown eyes that are slightly slanted. She has a distinctive, round face shape with full lips and has been noted for her youthful appearance throughout her career.

Selena Gomez in 2024 by Frank Sun - Wikipedia

FASHION Gomez favors super-feminine, high-glamour dresses by designers like Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Coach, and Saint Laurent. Her red carpet looks range from romantic and ethereal to sleek and sophisticated. She has gone through various fashion phases, including an edgy period, a Coach phase (due to a partnership), and periods where she frequently wore sparkly dresses. Her favorite color is green, and she has expressed a love for Converse shoes, high heels, and cowgirl boots.

She launched her own clothing line, Dream Out Loud, at Kmart in 2010.

Through Rare Beauty, she has become a champion for natural looks and self-acceptance.

CHARACTER Gomez is often described as empathetic, loyal, and emotionally intelligent. Her close friends, including Taylor Swift, admire her for her sincerity and resilience.

When asked to describe herself in three words, Gomez said "Loyal, kind, giving" and her biggest pet peeve is "people who are rude". (4)

SPEAKING VOICE Selena's speaking voice has become noticeably deeper and more gravelly since her teenage years. This change has been attributed to her lupus diagnosis and its effects on her health. She speaks with a very mild, southern-inflected accent, reflecting her Texan upbringing and a soft, warm tone.

SENSE OF HUMOUR Gomez possesses a dry, sarcastic, and witty sense of humor, which is best showcased in her role as Mabel Mora in Only Murders in the Building, a character known for her deadpan delivery and sharp one-liners. She has said that working with comedic legends Steve Martin and Martin Short on Only Murders in the Building has been challenging because it's difficult for her to keep a straight face around them. 

RELATIONSHIPS Selena's most publicized relationship was with Justin Bieber, which lasted on and off for several years until 2018. Their tumultuous romance drew intense media attention and led to emotional strain and a 2014 treatment stay in Arizona. She also dated The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) in 2017.

In July 2023, she began dating producer Benny Blanco. They had first worked together in 2015 on "Same Old Love" and "Kill ’Em with Kindness." Blanco proposed in December 2024 during a Taco Bell picnic — her favorite food.  The couple married in a private California ceremony on September 27, 2025. 

Gomez accidentally said “I love you” to Benny for the first time while coming out of anesthesia after hand surgery — something he never lets her forget. (3)

ACTING CAREER Selena Gomez began acting so young it’s a wonder she can remember a time when she wasn’t being followed around by a purple dinosaur. Her first professional job was as Gianna on Barney & Friends (2002–2004), a role she landed at the age of seven. She appeared in thirteen episodes, learning, as she later put it, the very basics of acting — how to hit a mark, remember lines, and smile through absolutely anything, including the heat of a foam suit. During this period, she popped up briefly in Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003) and Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire (2005), where she managed to look composed while Chuck Norris glowered at everyone.

Like many of her generation’s most photogenic overachievers, Gomez graduated from purple dinosaurs to the Disney Channel, where she made guest appearances on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (2006) and Hannah Montana (2007–2008), the latter as pop-star rival Mikayla — a delicious bit of casting for a future pop star herself. Then came the life-changing bit: in 2007, she was cast as Alex Russo in Wizards of Waverly Place. The show became an instant hit, running four seasons, winning two Emmys, and turning Gomez into the kind of household name that gets shouted at from passing cars.

Her comedic timing, especially her sly sarcasm, made her the perfect teen witch with attitude, and before long she was starring in Disney movies like Princess Protection Program (2009) and Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie (2009).

Leaving the Disney bubble is a notoriously tricky business — a kind of cultural detox — but Gomez managed it with more poise than most. Her first major post-Disney roles showed real range: she danced her way through Another Cinderella Story (2008), shared sisterly moments in Ramona and Beezus (2010), and went glam in Monte Carlo (2011). Then, in Spring Breakers (2012), she threw audiences off balance entirely by playing Faith, a college girl adrift among criminals in Harmony Korine’s candy-colored fever dream of a movie. It was her way of saying, “I’m not on the Disney Channel anymore.”

Selena then found a home in animation, voicing Mavis, the vampire daughter of Dracula, in the Hotel Transylvania films (2012–2022). The franchise became a billion-dollar juggernaut and, as a side benefit, required no makeup at 5 a.m.

On the live-action side, she tried almost everything: playing a hacker in Getaway (2013), a grieving daughter in Rudderless (2014), and a moody runaway in The Fundamentals of Caring (2016). She joined the chaos in Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016), met zombies in Jim Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’t Die (2019), and drifted through Woody Allen’s rain-soaked Manhattan in A Rainy Day in New York (2019). In 2024, she surprised critics again in Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez, playing the wife of a Mexican drug lord in a musical that somehow managed to win Cannes.

Gomez didn’t just stay in front of the camera. She executive-produced the Netflix drama 13 Reasons Why (2017–2020), which sparked worldwide conversation about teen mental health, and later co-created and starred in Only Murders in the Building (2021– ), a sly New York comedy-mystery alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short. It was a career renaissance that reminded everyone she could hold her own with comedy legends — and occasionally outshine them. She even managed to turn her cooking skills (and occasional disasters) into Selena + Chef (2020–2023), an Emmy-nominated HBO Max series that proved she’s as charming in an apron as she is on stage.

Over the years, Gomez has collected a small museum’s worth of nominations and awards — Critics’ Choice, SAG, and Emmy nods among them — and built a reputation as a performer who can gracefully toggle between heartfelt drama, absurdist comedy, and pop superstardom.

In short, Selena Gomez’s journey from Barney to billion-dollar mogul could fill several lifetimes, but she’s somehow managed to squeeze it into one — with style, humor, and the occasional pickle juice chaser.

POP  MUSIC CAREER There are pop careers that feel carefully plotted, like a well-drawn treasure map, and then there’s Selena Gomez’s — more of a dazzling sprawl across every conceivable genre, language, and mood. What began as a Disney side hustle somehow became a billion-dollar creative empire. It’s rather like discovering that the kid from your neighborhood lemonade stand has gone on to own Coca-Cola.

Gomez’s first musical chapter came with Selena Gomez & The Scene, a cheerful pop-rock band name that sounded a bit like she’d brought her own fan club. Between 2009 and 2011, they produced three albums that charted faster than you could say “Hollywood Records.” Kiss & Tell gave us “Naturally,” A Year Without Rain offered “Round & Round,” and When the Sun Goes Down delivered “Love You Like a Love Song,” which, frankly, you still can’t escape in supermarkets. These records were pure Disney-era alchemy — part glitter, part guitar, and part teenage optimism bottled and sold by the millions.

By 2013, Gomez decided to test what life was like without “& The Scene.” The answer, it turned out, was “wildly successful.” Her first solo album, Stars Dance, twirled straight to #1 on the Billboard 200, powered by the hypnotic “Come & Get It.” Two years later came Revival — sleek, confident, and slightly sultry, like someone who’s just realized they don’t need parental approval anymore. It gave us “Good for You,” “Same Old Love,” and “Hands to Myself,” three hits that collectively announced Gomez as not just a pop star, but a fully fledged adult with taste and a budget.

Then came the imperial phase — collaborations everywhere, a sort of pop United Nations. She sang with Charlie Puth (“We Don’t Talk Anymore”), floated above tropical beats with Kygo (“It Ain’t Me”),  joined the multilingual chaos of DJ Snake’s “Taki Taki,” and lent her calm confidence to Rema’s “Calm Down” remix, which was, for a while, inescapable even in dental offices. Between 2011 and 2018, she managed an extraordinary 16 consecutive Top 40 hits, a feat suggesting either divine intervention or very little sleep.

Her 2020 album Rare brought a moment of introspection — highlighted by the aching “Lose You to Love Me,” her first Billboard Hot 100 #1 — while 2021’s Spanish-language Revelación reminded everyone that her heritage was not just a footnote but a creative compass. By 2025, she was back again, collaborating with Benny Blanco on I Said I Love You First, because really, at this point, why not?

Through it all, Gomez has remained a curious contradiction: both megastar and everygirl, chart-dominator and advocate for mental health, beauty mogul and reluctant celebrity. Her voice — warm, breathy, and instantly recognizable — has become the sound of modern pop’s evolution, from teenage anthems to adult self-reflection.

Selena Gomez may have started as a Disney ingénue with a microphone, but she’s ended up somewhere far stranger and more impressive: the kind of pop icon whose songs, values, and perfume bottles collectively shape an era.

MONEY AND FAME Gomez is one of the world's most recognizable celebrities and is highly successful financially. Her fortune is derived from her careers in acting, music, producing, and, significantly, from her business venture, Rare Beauty. She became a billionaire in 2024, with an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion according to Bloomberg. Approximately 80% of her wealth comes from her 51% stake in Rare Beauty, valued at over $1 billion. Despite her wealth, she has stated that mental health advocacy, not money-making, is her priority with Rare Beauty.

Gomez is one of the world's most recognizable celebrities and was named Billboard's Woman of the Year (2017)

FOOD AND DRINK Selena Gomez loves to cook and eat. Her favorite snacks include Hot Cheetos, pickles, and Snickers. She loves ice cream, sweets, pizza, chocolate, tacos, and Pepsi. Her favorite fruit is mango, and she has mentioned enjoying her grandmother's home-cooked meals as her favorite thing to do when visiting Texas. She puts salt on her lemons and enjoys thin-crust pizza with double pepperoni. (2)

Gomez is famously obsessed with pickles — drinking the juice straight from the jar and snacking on them at movie theaters. (3)

MUSIC AND ARTS Gomez has cited various artists as influences, including Bruno Mars, Britney Spears, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Skrillex, and Taylor Swift. She enjoys listening to Taylor Swift, Jessie J, Drake, and some 70s and 80s hits. She told Kelly Clarkson that writing lyrics is "the best therapy" and helps her process her feelings. Dancing is a hobby she says she'll never give up.

Gomez is a fan of The Greatest Showman, calling it her “ultimate comfort movie.” (3)

LITERATURE Selena is an avid reader who has recommended several books to her fans. Her book recommendations include "Becoming" by Michelle Obama, "The Undocumented Americans" by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, "Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe" by Laura Lynne Jackson, "On Becoming Fearless" by Arianna Huffington, and "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. 

Gomez has spoken about how writing and journaling help her process emotions and manage anxiety,

NATURE Gomez finds peace in nature, especially when visiting her Texas hometown or escaping to quiet getaways. She has spent time in natural settings like the Amalfi Coast and other Mediterranean destinations.

Gomez has been involved with environmental advocacy through charitable organizations like the ENOUGH Project, which addresses conflict minerals that affect nature in regions like Congo.

PETS Gomez is a lifelong animal lover has adopted several dogs over the years, advocating for pet rescue from shelters rather than buying from stores. During her teenage years, she had six rescued dogs named Chip, Willy, Fina, Chazz, Wallace, and Baylor. She has mentioned spending time with animals as therapeutic and considers them "the kindest-hearted creators".

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Selena is a sporty person who enjoys pilates, basketball, surfing, and skating. She was a cheerleader in middle school and loves to dance. Other hobbies include cooking (she hosts the cooking show Selena + Chef), solving true crime cases (she even attended a CrimeCon event to help solve an unsolved murder case), and playing games like Head's Up!. 

She has described herself as preferring to stay in rather than go out to parties, calling herself a "couch potato" who loves watching Friends reruns (she can identify episodes by number),.

SCIENCE AND MATHS Gomez has shown curiosity about mental health science, especially through her advocacy for better understanding of bipolar disorder

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Selena Gomez was raised Catholic and had a purity ring at age 13. She is currently a practicing Christian of the Pentecostal persuasion. She has attended Hillsong Church and other contemporary Christian churches. Her Instagram bio once read "By grace through faith," referencing Ephesians 2:8. 

She has spoken openly about her faith, stating at a Hillsong conference in 2017 that "you are enough because you are a child of God". Her faith has been particularly important during her struggles with mental health and lupus.

Her public philosophy centers on self-acceptance, mental health advocacy, and authenticity. The Rare Beauty mission is explicitly about breaking down "unrealistic standards of perfection" and empowering individuals.

POLITICS  She tends to stay politically neutral in public but supports causes around mental health, women’s rights, and voting participation.

She has used her platform to advocate for marginalized communities. In 2025, she faced controversy for posting an Instagram video where she cried over arrests of undocumented immigrants, which led to criticism from various political figures. 

SCANDAL Her highly publicized breakup with Justin Bieber and her health struggles have occasionally drawn tabloid attention, but Gomez has largely maintained a reputation for honesty and dignity.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Selena was diagnosed with lupus in 2013. The autoimmune disease led to her undergoing chemotherapy and eventually requiring a kidney transplant in 2017, with her friend Francia Raisa as the donor. 

Because of her medical history, Gomez cannot safely carry children — something she revealed she had to grieve in a 2024 Vanity Fair interview.

She has also been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has openly discussed her struggles with anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. She credits dialectical behavior therapy with changing her life and sees a psychologist five days per week. 

Her fitness routine often includes low-impact, stress-managing activities like Pilates and yoga, prioritizing holistic well-being over extreme workouts, especially given her lupus diagnosis.

HOMES Gomez has owned several impressive properties. Her first home was purchased in Tarzana, California, in 2011 for $2.175 million. In 2017, she bought a Studio City bungalow for $2.249 million. In 2020, she purchased Tom Petty's former Encino mansion for $4.9 million, where she currently lives with her grandparents. Most recently, in December 2024, she and fiancé Benny Blanco purchased a $35 million Spanish-style estate in Beverly Hills.

TRAVEL Gomez enjoys traveling and has been spotted vacationing in various luxury destinations. She has visited Italy multiple times, including trips to Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Positano, and Florence. She has also vacationed in Paris, France, Turks and Caicos, and Mexico. Her travels often include family members and close friends, and she tends to stay at luxury hotels and travel on private yachts.

 Her charitable work has taken her to places like Ghana and the Republic of the Congo

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Beyond her primary roles, Selena has made numerous media appearances. She has been featured on magazine covers including Vogue, Elle, and Marie Claire. She has appeared on talk shows, award ceremonies, and has been the subject of documentaries including Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022). 

She is active on social media, particularly Instagram, where she was once the most-followed person with over 424 million followers.

ACHIEVEMENTS UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2009 (youngest person appointed at the time).

Founder and CEO of Rare Beauty, a cosmetics brand valued at over $2 billion in 2024, committed to mental health.

Founder of the Rare Impact Fund, which aims to raise $100 million over 10 years to expand access to mental health services for young people.

Winner of numerous awards, including an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, multiple MTV Video Music Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award (for Only Murders in the Building), and over a dozen Teen Choice Awards.

She has held multiple Guinness World Records, including for having the most followers on Instagram at various times.

Recipient of the Order of Arts and Letters from the French Government (2024).

Sources: (1) Selena Gomez Info (2) Army of Selena Gomez (3) Songfacts (4) USA magazine (5) Good Books (6) Daily Music Roll