Selena Gomez was born in Grand Prairie, Texas on 22 July 1992 to actress Amanda 'Mandy' Dawn Teefey and Ricardo Joel Gomez. Now, the actress and singer known for her childhood fame on Disney channel, more successes such as Only Murders in the Building, and her on-again-off-again former relationship with Justin Bieber, is a certified Hollywood legend.
Childhood
When Selena was just five years old, her parents divorced and the youngster – who was named after Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla – was raised by her young single mom from then on. Selena's interest in acting was sparked by her mom Mandy, who alongside her parenting duties used to take part in theatre productions.
At age seven, the young star's own acting career began with a role on children's show Barney & Friends. Bitten by the acting bug, Selena had some minor roles, including a part in Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, before she was discovered by the Disney Channel in a nationwide scout in 2004. She appeared on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, and also Hannah Montana, before landing her own show, Wizards of Waverly Place, in 2007.
Music career
Selena's Disney show success led many to compare Selena to the channel's reigning princess Miley Cyrus, and like Miley, Selena also showed an interest in music. Just prior to the actress' 16th birthday, Selena signed a recording deal with Disney-owned label Hollywood Records. In 2009, she formed teen pop band: Selena Gomez & the Scene; and in September they released their debut album, Kiss & Tell.
In 2014, Selena released her first solo album, For You. Her second studio album, Revival, would go on to debut at number one on the US Billboard 200 in 2015. Selena's third album Rare did the same when released in January 2020.
Acting career
In July 2010, Selena's first theatrical film, Ramona & Beezus, was released and she started work on Nicole Kidman-produced movie Monte Carlo, alongside Leighton Meester. That same year she also confirmed that the fourth season of Wizards would be its last. Since then, Selena's film resume has grown to include hit animation franchise Hotel Transylvania, Spring Breakers alongside James Franco and Getaway with Ethan Hawke and Jon Voight.
In August 2021, the first season of Hulu's mystery comedy series Only Murders in the Building (in which Selena starred alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short) premiered and was an instant hit. Alongside her success on TV, film, and music, Selena is also pursuing a culinary career as the host of two Food Network shows.
Personal life
As well as her blossoming and multi-faceted career, Selena is a keen philanthropist. At 17, she became the youngest ever UNICEF ambassador and has travelled with them around the world to help highlight the plights facing children. Her caring nature is just one of the reasons Selena remains one of Hollywood's most popular stars among her peers, such as her good friend Taylor Swift.
In 2008, Selena dated musician Nick Jonas and the following year was linked to Twilight star Taylor Lautner. But her most famous relationship to date was her turbulent one with Justin Bieber. In 2023, rumors of a feud between Selena and Justin's wife Hailey went viral, although both have since spoken out about wanting to move past this toxic narrative and have since shown support for one another again via social media.