Selena Gomez is an American singer, actress, and businesswoman born on July 22, 1992. She started acting when she was very young appearing on a TV show called “Barney & Friends” from 2002 to 2004. She became famous for her role as Alex Russo on the Disney Channel show “Wizards of Waverly Place” from 2007 to 2012.
As a singer, she first joined a band called Selena Gomez & the Scene and released three albums with them. All of their songs got certified gold or higher in the US. Then she decided to go solo and released her albums. Her first one Stars Dance in 2013 had a hit song called “Come & Get It.” After that, she released Revival in 2015 and Rare in 2020 both of which did well.
Selena Gomez has also acted in movies like the Hotel Transylvania series where she voiced Mavis. She’s done a lot of TV work too like producing the show 13 Reasons Why and starring in Only Murders in the Building.
Besides her entertainment career, Selena is also known for her charity work. She supports causes like mental health awareness and equality for all genders races and sexual orientations. She even started her makeup brand called Rare Beauty which became successful.
Selena Gomez has won many awards for her work including music awards and film festival awards. She’s also been recognized for her influence being named in lists like Time 100 and Forbes 30 Under 30.
And on top of all that she’s super popular on Instagram with over 427 million followers!
| Full Name | Selena Marie Gomez |
| Date of Birth | July 22, 1992 |
| Place of Birth | Grand Prairie, Texas, USA |
| Occupation | Singer, Actress, Producer |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) |
| Partner | Benny Blanco |
| Net Worth | $800 Million |
Selena Gomez’s Early Life and Education
Selena Marie Gomez was born on July 22, 1992, in Grand Prairie Texas. Her parents are Ricardo Joel Gomez and Mandy Teefey a former stage actress from Texas. Selena was named after the famous Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla who passed away in 1995.
Selena’s background is a mix of cultures. Her father is of Mexican descent and her mother who was adopted has Italian roots. Her paternal grandparents moved from Monterrey Mexico to Texas in the 1970s. Selena proudly identifies as a third-generation American-Mexican. She mentioned that her family celebrates traditional Catholic events like quinceañeras and communions but mostly enjoys casual Sunday barbecues at the park after church.
Though she started learning Spanish as a child Selena lost much of her fluency after she began her TV career at age seven. Her parents divorced when she was five and she was raised by her mother. She has two younger half-sisters and a younger stepbrother: Gracie Elliot Teefey from her mother’s second marriage to Brian Teefey and Victoria “Tori” and Marcus Gomez from her father’s second marriage to Sara.
Selena Gomez’s early life was challenging. Born when her mother was just 16 the family struggled financially. There were times when they searched for quarters to buy gas or walked to the dollar store for dinner. Selena remembers being frustrated about her parents’ separation and worried about their future. Despite these hardships, she saw her mother work multiple jobs and make sacrifices to provide for her. Selena has often spoken about how strong and dedicated her mother was.
Her grandparents played a significant role in her upbringing caring for her while her parents completed their education. Selena participated in various pageants during her childhood and has fond memories of the support from her grandparents who she says “raised her” until she found success in show business.
Selena Gomez received her high school diploma through homeschooling in May 2010. Despite the obstacles she faced her early experiences shaped her into the resilient and talented star she is today.
Career
Selena Gomez became interested in entertainment after watching her mom prepare for stage shows. She started acting in 2002 on the kids’ TV series Barney & Friends as Gianna. It was her first acting job and she was shy and had to learn everything from scratch like where to stand and how scenes are filmed. She appeared in thirteen episodes from 2002 to 2004 but had to leave because she was considered too old for the show.
During this time she also had small roles in movies like “Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over” (2003) and TV films like “Walker Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire” (2005). She made a guest appearance on Disney Channel’s “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” in 2006.
Selena Gomez started gaining fame in 2007 with a role on Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana as pop star Mikayla. She also tried out for other Disney shows like “Arwin!” and “What’s Stevie Thinking?” Eventually, she landed the lead role in Wizards of Waverly Place moving to Los Angeles with her mom for the show. It was a hit making her a teen idol and one of the highest-paid child TV stars ever earning up to $30000 per episode.
In 2008, while on Wizards she voiced a character in Horton Hears a Who! and starred in Another Cinderella Story where she also sang on the soundtrack. That year at 16 she signed with Hollywood Records and started her own production company planning movies like What Boys Want and a TV adaptation of Thirteen Reasons Why though these projects didn’t happen.
The following year Gomez continued her success with crossovers on The Suite Life on Deck and Sonny with a Chance. She starred in Princess Protection Program with Demi Lovato and Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie which won awards. She also voiced a character in Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard.
In her music career, Gomez formed the band Selena Gomez & the Scene and released their first album “Kiss & Tell” in 2009. The band achieved gold records and their single “Naturally” became a hit. Gomez also starred in the film “Ramona and Beezus” and voiced Princess Selenia again in “Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds”.
Their second album “A Year Without Rain” came out in 2010, followed by “When the Sun Goes Down” in 2011 which included their biggest hit “Love You Like a Love Song”. Selena Gomez also starred in the film Monte Carlo and made appearances in The Muppets. She hosted the MuchMusic Video Awards and MTV Europe Music Awards that year.
Selena Gomez announced in January 2012 that she was taking a break from music putting her band Selena Gomez & the Scene on hold. That same year the TV show Wizards of Waverly Place ended after four seasons. Gomez won the Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite TV Actress for five consecutive years from 2009 to 2013 setting a record with 12 wins overall.
In 2012, Gomez starred in the controversial film Spring Breakers alongside James Franco and others. The movie premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and gained attention for Gomez’s more mature role which led to challenges on set. Despite this Spring Breakers received positive reviews and was considered a potential cult classic.
Gomez also voiced Mavis Dracula in the animated film Hotel Transylvania which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2012. The movie was commercially successful despite mixed reviews.
In 2013, Selena Gomez released her solo debut album Stars Dance which featured EDM and electropop styles. The album received mixed reviews but debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. She promoted the album with choreographed dance routines and won Best Pop Video at the MTV Video Music Awards for “Come & Get It.”
Later in 2013, Gomez canceled parts of her Stars Dance Tour due to personal reasons and briefly checked into a treatment center. She revealed in 2015 that she had been diagnosed with lupus and had undergone chemotherapy.
Gomez continued her career with roles in films like Behaving Badly and Rudderless in 2014. She also transitioned her management team and signed with new talent agencies to explore more adult-oriented projects.
In 2015, Selena Gomez released her second studio album “Revival” which received positive reviews and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The album featured successful singles like “Good for You” and “Hands to Myself.” She also embarked on the Revival Tour but canceled parts of it due to health issues related to lupus.
Throughout 2015 and 2016, Gomez continued to make headlines for her achievements in music, film, and social media. She collaborated with DJ Zedd and appeared in Taylor Swift‘s music video for “Bad Blood.” Despite health challenges, Gomez maintained a prominent presence in entertainment and social media setting records for Instagram followers and receiving accolades at awards shows.
Selena Gomez’s journey through these years showcased her growth as an artist and resilience in facing personal challenges while maintaining a strong presence in the entertainment industry.
Selena Gomez teamed up with Norwegian DJ Kygo for the song “It Ain’t Me” in February 2017. The song was a hit worldwide reaching the top ten in many countries including the US and UK and the top five in places like Australia Canada and Germany. It got nominated for several major music awards including at the Billboard Music Awards in 2018 for Top Dance/Electronic Song. In the UK it became her best-selling song with over 1.4 million chart units sold.
Gomez was also an executive producer for the Netflix series “Thirteen Reasons Why” based on a novel. It premiered in March 2017 and gained both praise and controversy for its portrayal of sensitive topics like suicide. Despite criticism, the first season was critically acclaimed. The series continued for four seasons until June 2020.
In her music career, Gomez released singles like “Bad Liar” which was well-received by critics and ranked as the best song of 2017 by Billboard. She also collaborated on hits like “Fetish” with Gucci Mane and “Wolves” with EDM producer Marshmello.
Gomez’s career expanded into film and TV projects. She voiced Mavis in “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation” and starred in movies such as “The Dead Don’t Die” and “A Rainy Day in New York.” She also produced documentaries and docuseries like “Living Undocumented” on Netflix shedding light on the lives of undocumented families in the US.
In her personal life, Gomez faced challenges but also achieved milestones such as becoming Spotify’s most-streamed artist in 2018. Her album “Rare” released in 2020 topped charts and was praised for its cohesive sound.
Recently Selena Gomez starred in the acclaimed Hulu series “Only Murders in the Building” alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short. The show broke records for Hulu and received praise for its comedic and mysterious storyline.
Looking forward Gomez continues to explore new projects including music collaborations and upcoming films like “Emilia Pérez.” Her influence spans across music film and activism making her one of the notable figures in entertainment today.
Net Worth
Selena Gomez has an estimated net worth of $800 Million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Philanthropy
In October 2008, Selena Gomez joined a charity event at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Beverly Hills. She walked down the runway to raise over $1 million for sick kids. That same month she started working with UNICEF. She encouraged kids to collect money on Halloween to help other kids worldwide.
In August 2009, at just 17 Gomez became the youngest UNICEF ambassador ever. She went to Ghana to see how tough life is for kids there. She wanted to use her fame to tell people about Ghana and the problems kids face. She said “Every day 25000 kids die from things we can prevent. I believe we can change that.”
Gomez kept working with UNICEF. She raised over $700000 in 2008 and hoped to raise $1 million in 2009. She did lots of things to help like hosting webcasts and selling her stuff for charity. With her help, UNICEF raised $4 million.
In 2011, Selena Gomez went to Chile to see how UNICEF helps families. She also joined a project to provide clean water. In 2012 she used social media to help raise money to feed kids in Africa.
Gomez organized three concerts from 2010 to 2013 raising nearly $400000 for UNICEF. In 2014 she went to Nepal to raise awareness for kids in need. She’s been working with UNICEF since 2009 helping kids through various campaigns and events.
In June 2021, Gomez joined other stars in asking wealthy countries to give more COVID-19 vaccines to poorer nations through the COVAX initiative.
Personal Life
Selena Gomez has been quite active in the real estate market over the years. Here’s a look at her impressive property moves:
- Calabasas Home: Selena once owned a luxurious $6.6 million home in Calabasas, Los Angeles.
- Tarzana Sale: In 2014, she sold her mansion in Tarzana, Los Angeles, for $3.5 million.
- Fort Worth Mansion: She bought a beautiful mansion in Fort Worth, Texas, for $3.5 million in 2015 and sold it in October 2018.
- Encino Move: In 2020, Selena moved into a stunning $5 million mansion in Encino, Los Angeles.
- Studio City Sale: That same year, she sold her Studio City, Los Angeles house for $2.3 million.
Selena Gomez grew up in the Catholic faith. When she was 13 she asked for a purity ring and her dad got it blessed at the church. She used to talk about how important it was for her to keep her promises to herself her family and God. However, she stopped wearing the ring in 2010. In 2017 she mentioned that she wasn’t comfortable with the word “religion” and sometimes found it unsettling. Instead, she focused on having faith and a personal connection with God.
In her music journey, Gomez has been influenced by songs like “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” by Hillsong United which she listened to before a big performance. She even appeared at a Hillsong Young & Free concert in Los Angeles in 2016 where she led worship by singing her song “Nobody” which she later confirmed refers to God.
Despite attending different churches over the years like Hillsong Church in California Gomez doesn’t consider herself religious. She’s more interested in nurturing her faith and spiritual bond with God.
Selena Gomez found out she had lupus between 2012 and 2014. In 2017, she shared on Instagram that she had to stay away from public events because she got a kidney transplant from her friend Francia Raisa. During the transplant, a blood vessel broke so doctors had to do emergency surgery to fix it using a vein from her leg.
Gomez has been open about her battles with anxiety and depression. She started therapy in her early twenties and also went to treatment centers. When she hit 100 million followers on Instagram she got overwhelmed and took breaks from social media because of mean comments. In 2020, she said she had bipolar disorder.
In 2022, Selena Gomez couldn’t go on “The Tonight Show” because she got COVID-19. Later that year she talked about having a psychotic episode in 2018.
Selena Gomez has been linked with quite a few people over the years. In 2008, she dated singer Nick Jonas and even starred in one of his band’s music videos. Then from 2010 to 2018, she was in an on-and-off relationship with Justin Bieber.
In 2015, she dated DJ Zedd for a while after they worked on a song together. After that, she was with The Weeknd briefly in 2017. In 2023, she confirmed she’s now dating record producer Benny Blanco.
