Biography
Selena Gomez is an American singer, actress, and producer who first gained fame as a child star on “Barney & Friends” before rising to prominence with her role in “Wizards of Waverly Place.” She later transitioned into music, leading the band Selena Gomez & the Scene before launching a successful solo career. Selena Gomez has released multiple hit albums, including Revival and Rare, earning critical and commercial success.
Beyond entertainment, she is a prominent businesswoman, founding the beauty brand Rare Beauty. She is also known for her philanthropic efforts, serving as a UNICEF ambassador and advocating for mental health awareness. Additionally, she has expanded into producing, working on projects like 13 Reasons Why and Only Murders in the Building. With her influence in both music and film, Selena Gomez remains one of the most recognizable figures in the entertainment industry.
Profile
- Name: Selena Gomez
- Birth name: Selena Marie Gomez
- Birthday: July 22, 1992
- Zodiac Sign: Cancer
- Height: 165 cm
- Instagram: @selenagomez
- Twitter: @selenagomez
Career
Selena Gomez began her career in the entertainment industry as a child actress, first appearing on the children’s television series “Barney & Friends” (2002–2004). She gained widespread recognition for her breakout role as Alex Russo in the Disney Channel series “Wizards of Waverly Place” (2007–2012), which earned her critical acclaim and several awards, including an Emmy. The success of the show helped establish her as a prominent young actress, leading to roles in films such as “Ramona and Beezus” (2010), “Monte Carlo” (2011), and the more mature “Spring Breakers” (2012). She continued to diversify her acting portfolio with roles in “The Fundamentals of Caring” (2016), “A Rainy Day in New York” (2019), and the highly successful Hulu series “Only Murders in the Building” (2021–present), where she stars alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short. Her performance in the series earned her critical praise and nominations at the Golden Globe and Emmy Awards, solidifying her as a serious actress beyond her Disney roots.
Alongside her acting career, Selena established herself as a successful musician. She first gained musical recognition as the lead singer of her band, Selena Gomez & the Scene, releasing three albums: Kiss & Tell (2009), A Year Without Rain (2010), and When the Sun Goes Down (2011). The band produced several hit singles, including “Naturally” and “Who Says.” In 2013, Selena embarked on a solo music career with the release of “Stars Dance,” which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. She continued her success with Revival (2015), featuring hits like “Good for You” and “Hands to Myself,” and Rare (2020), which included the chart-topping single “Lose You to Love Me.” Her collaboration with Rema on Calm Down (2022) became a global success, further cementing her international appeal.
Beyond acting and music, Selena Gomez has expanded her career into producing and entrepreneurship. She served as an executive producer for Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why (2017–2020) and the HBO Max cooking show Selena + Chef (2020–2022). In the beauty industry, she launched Rare Beauty in 2020, a cosmetics brand that emphasizes self-acceptance and mental health awareness. The brand has been widely successful and supports Selena’s Rare Impact Fund, which focuses on mental health initiatives.
Additionally, Selena is known for her philanthropic efforts and advocacy work. She has been a UNICEF ambassador since 2009 and has used her platform to raise awareness for numerous social issues, including mental health, women’s rights, and environmental causes. With a career spanning multiple industries, Selena Gomez continues to be a major influence in entertainment, business, and social activism.
Personal Life
Early Life
Selena was named after the iconic Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla. Her father is of Mexican descent, while her mother, who was adopted, has Italian ancestry. Gomez identifies as a proud third-generation Mexican-American and grew up with some cultural traditions, including attending Catholic church and family barbecues. However, her fluency in Spanish faded after she began working in television at a young age.
When Selena was five, her parents divorced, and she was primarily raised by her mother. Through her parents’ remarriages, she gained two younger half-sisters, Gracie and Victoria, as well as a stepbrother, Marcus. Due to financial struggles, her mother worked multiple jobs to support them, and there were times when they had to scrape together change for gas or rely on dollar-store meals. Despite the hardships, Selena admired her mother’s strength and sacrifices, acknowledging the difficulties of being a teen parent.
Raised largely by her grandparents while her parents completed their education, Selena credits them for playing a significant role in her upbringing. As a child, she participated in beauty pageants, and she was homeschooled for most of her education, earning her high school diploma in 2010. Looking back, Selena expressed gratitude for her mother’s perseverance, recognizing that her challenging childhood ultimately shaped her into the person she is today.
Health
Selena Gomez was diagnosed with lupus between 2012 and 2014, leading to severe kidney damage. In September 2017, she received a kidney transplant from her close friend Francia Raisa. Rumors later suggested their friendship suffered due to Selena’s alleged neglect of her health, but they remained close, even getting matching tattoos.
In 2022, Selena stated, “My only friend in the industry is Taylor Swift,” prompting Francia to unfollow her and comment, “Interesting.” Selena responded sarcastically, sparking backlash. Francia later revealed that Selena had asked for the transplant before she even knew she was a match, fueling further criticism.
By March 2023, Selena called Francia her best friend, while Francia avoided directly addressing their relationship. In July 2023, Selena wished Francia a happy birthday on Instagram, and Francia liked the post and refollowed her, suggesting reconciliation.
Beliefs
Raised Catholic, Selena Gomez wore a purity ring at 13, vowing to uphold her faith but stopped wearing it in 2010. She has been open about her spiritual beliefs, often turning to music for worship. In 2014, she listened to “Oceans” by Hillsong United before performing at the AMAs and later led worship at a Hillsong concert. Her song “Nobody” was inspired by God, and she covered Hillsong Worship’s “Transfiguration” on her Revival Tour.
While she rejects organized religion, Selena Gomez values faith and her relationship with God. She began worshiping at Hillsong Church in 2017 and has read “The Purpose Driven Life” three times.
Relationships
Nick Jonas: Selena Gomez dated Nick Jonas in 2008, which fueled rumors of tension with Miley Cyrus, his ex. She appeared in the Jonas Brothers’ “Burnin’ Up” MV and their reality show. Despite their past, Selena and Nick remain on good terms.
Taylor Lautner: In 2009, she briefly dated Taylor Lautner and later rekindled her romance with Nick, but they soon broke up.
Justin Bieber: Selena’s on-and-off relationship with Justin Bieber lasted about eight years, gaining massive public attention. Their fans called them “Jelena,” and their turbulent love story inspired many songs. They dated from 2011 to 2015, reportedly breaking up nine times, with Justin’s infidelity as the initial reason. Their frequent breakups led to the “Post-it couple” nickname. After a long separation, they reunited in late 2017 but split for good in early 2018. Justin married Hailey Bieber in September 2018. Selena later addressed their relationship in her 2019 album Rare, revealing emotional abuse. Their history continues to spark public drama, with Hailey and Selena’s interactions often making headlines.
DJ Zedd, Samuel Krost, Charlie Puth: In 2015, Selena dated DJ Zedd, but media pressure contributed to their breakup. In 2016, she was linked to Orlando Bloom, but both denied any romance. That year, she also briefly dated businessman Samuel Krost and was rumored to have had a short-lived fling with Charlie Puth.
The Weeknd: In early 2017, Selena started dating The Weeknd. Their 10-month relationship ended reportedly due to busy schedules, but speculation arose when Selena reunited with Justin soon after. The Weeknd’s My Dear Melancholy, seemingly referenced their breakup. Despite this, Selena’s song “Souvenir” is believed to reflect fond memories of their time together.
Jimmy Butler: In late 2020, she was rumored to be dating NBA player Jimmy Butler.
Benny Blanco: In December 2023, Selena confirmed her relationship with music producer Benny Blanco, proudly sharing photos and responding to fan comments. A year later, in December 2024, they announced their engagement.
Celebrity Friendships & Feuds
Demi Lovato: Selena Gomez met Demi Lovato on Barney & Friends and grew close as Disney stars, but they drifted apart, unfollowing each other on social media. In 2020, Selena praised Demi’s Grammy performance, but Demi didn’t respond. Later, Demi confirmed they were no longer friends, and a scandal about her mocking Selena online cemented their fallout.
Taylor Swift: Selena and Taylor Swift became friends in 2008 while dating the Jonas Brothers. Their bond remained strong, with Selena supporting Taylor during controversies and appearing in her Bad Blood music video. In 2019, she sat beside Taylor’s parents at the AMAs.
Miley Cyrus: Selena and Miley Cyrus weren’t close during their Disney days but reconnected recently. Selena joined Miley’s Instagram Live show to discuss her bipolar diagnosis and later sought her advice before hosting SNL.
Bella Hadid: Tension arose between Selena and Bella Hadid over The Weeknd. After dating him, Selena and Bella unfollowed each other. In 2019, Selena tried to mend things, but Bella deleted her comment, causing drama. They later cleared the air privately, though Bella hasn’t refollowed Selena.
Ariana Grande & Camila Cabello: Selena has friendly ties with Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello, often interacting online. She also shares mutual respect with Kid Cudi.
Cara Delevingne: She has a long friendship with Cara Delevingne, with whom she got matching tattoos in 2021. That same year, they shared a kiss in Only Murders in the Building, which Cara found natural but Selena found awkward.
Hailey Bieber: Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber have long been rumored to have tension due to their connection to Justin Bieber. Selena dated Justin on and off for years before he married Hailey in 2018, leading to ongoing fan speculation about bad blood between them. While both have denied any feud, social media interactions have fueled drama. In early 2023, Hailey was accused of shading Selena in TikTok videos, sparking backlash. Selena later asked fans to stop the negativity, and in October 2023, she revealed they had privately discussed the issue and moved on. However, fan-fueled drama continues to keep their relationship under scrutiny.
Net Worth and Properties
Selena Gomez has built a $1.3 billion empire, with 81% of her wealth coming from Rare Beauty, her cosmetics brand launched in 2020. Its best-selling $23 liquid blush generated $70 million in sales in 2023. While she gained fame on Disney Channel and topped the charts with “Lose You to Love Me”, music contributes less than 5% to her fortune.
Selena stars in and executive produces Hulu’s hit series “Only Murders in the Building,” earning at least $6 million per season. Her Rare Impact Fund has raised $16 million for mental health initiatives.
Her real estate portfolio includes a $6.6 million Calabasas home, a $5 million Encino mansion, and past properties in Tarzana, Studio City, and Texas.
Controversies and Incidents
BLM Criticism Controversy
Selena Gomez faced backlash after posting online that “BLM takes sides.” This comment came in response to criticism she received for defending Taylor Swift, where someone questioned why she didn’t speak about “more important issues” like BLM. Selena later deleted the post.
Feud with Francia Raisa
In November 2022, Selena was accused of cutting ties with Francia Raisa, the friend who donated a kidney to her, after stating in an interview, “I don’t really associate with celebrities. My only friend is Taylor Swift.” Francia, seemingly hurt, commented “Interesting” and unfollowed Selena. The two had no public interactions until July 27, 2023, when Selena wished Francia a happy birthday. Francia liked the post and followed Selena again, though public reactions remain mixed.
Immigration Advocacy and Hypocrisy Allegations
On January 28, 2025, Selena posted a video on Instagram criticizing Donald Trump’s policies on undocumented immigrants, expressing sadness and frustration. As a third-generation Mexican-American, she had previously spoken against Trump’s immigration policies, participated in the Netflix documentary Living Undocumented, and written an essay on the issue for Time magazine. However, conservative critics accused her of hypocrisy, arguing that she lives in luxury while advocating for accepting undocumented immigrants. Facing backlash, Selena deleted the video and disabled Instagram comments.
Fun Facts
- Selena Gomez’s Instagram account became the first to hit the 100-million follower mark in 2016.
- She has odd eating habits.
- She is an awesome impersonator.
- She loves skateboarding and surfboarding,
- Selena was the youngest UNICEF ambassador.
- Selena cried about Justin Bieber in public.
- She has the word “Rare” tattooed on her neck.
- Her best friend Francia Raisa gave her a kidney.
- Selena named her new kidney after Fred Armisen.
- Due to body shaming, Selena stopped using social media.
- She has been open about suffering from anxiety, panic attacks and depression over the years.
- Selena’s love of fast food is well-documented. She once had her assistant hold her half-eaten cheeseburger while she walked the red carpet at the KIIS-FM Jingle Ball in 2015.
