From Barney to Disney Channel star and beyond! At a young age, Selena Gomez became a household name and continues to push the status quo in the entertainment industry as the years go by.
In the middle of her booming career, Gomez suffered a few personal setbacks including a lupus diagnosis, life-changing transplant surgery and a battle with mental health, but has never let any of that stop her. The Wizards of Waverly Place actress first opened up about her medical diagnosis in 2015 and it has allowed her to live her truth in the spotlight.
In 2018, Gomez put her work on the back burner as she sought mental health treatment at a psychiatric facility on the East Coast. The Spring Breakers actress took to Instagram in April 2019 to open up about her decision to put herself ahead of her career.
“I think that I needed a moment to myself because I do feel like I was growing and changing,” Gomez wrote before answering a fan’s question about the advice she’d give to her younger self.
“Gosh, if I knew what I know now,” she explained, “I am a believer of therapy. So, I think that I have had opportunities where I kind of reflect on the younger me, and I think that a lot of the times I wished that I could hug my younger self. I wish I could have done and experienced a lot of things, maybe, a little differently.”
She added: “I don’t really think people know my heart because I think that sometimes people may think that I politically say the right thing or I’m safe or I’ve been trained to speak this way. I don’t know how to be trained. Like, how on earth would someone be training me to speak things?”
Gomez has been a pioneer in her work to bring awareness to mental health as well as her career in the entertainment industry.
Scroll down to take a look back at Selena Gomez through the years!
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Selena Gomez Through the Years: From ‘Barney’ to ‘Spring Breakers’ and Beyond
From Barney to Disney Channel star and beyond! At a young age, Selena Gomez became a household name and continues to push the status quo in the entertainment industry as the years go by.
In the middle of her booming career, Gomez suffered a few personal setbacks including a lupus diagnosis, life-changing transplant surgery and a battle with mental health, but has never let any of that stop her. The Wizards of Waverly Place actress first opened up about her medical diagnosis in 2015 and it has allowed her to live her truth in the spotlight.
In 2018, Gomez put her work on the back burner as she sought mental health treatment at a psychiatric facility on the East Coast. The Spring Breakers actress took to Instagram in April 2019 to open up about her decision to put herself ahead of her career.
“I think that I needed a moment to myself because I do feel like I was growing and changing,” Gomez wrote before answering a fan’s question about the advice she’d give to her younger self.
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“Gosh, if I knew what I know now,” she explained, “I am a believer of therapy. So, I think that I have had opportunities where I kind of reflect on the younger me, and I think that a lot of the times I wished that I could hug my younger self. I wish I could have done and experienced a lot of things, maybe, a little differently.”
She added: “I don’t really think people know my heart because I think that sometimes people may think that I politically say the right thing or I’m safe or I’ve been trained to speak this way. I don’t know how to be trained. Like, how on earth would someone be training me to speak things?”
Gomez has been a pioneer in her work to bring awareness to mental health as well as her career in the entertainment industry.
Scroll down to take a look back at Selena Gomez through the years!
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July 1992
Gomez was born in Grand Prairie, Texas on July 22, 1992, to parents Mandy Teefey and Ricardo Gomez.
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2002 to 2004
Selena starred as Gianna on the hit children’s show Barney and Friends for two seasons alongside Demi Lovato. She also appeared in two movies based on the series, Barney: Best Manners — Invitation to Fun and Barney: Read with Me, Dance with Me.
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2003
The Texas native made her film debut as a waterpark girl in Spy Kids 3.
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2006
Selena appeared on The Suite Life of Zach and Cody as a character named Gwen.
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2007
Her big break! Years after smaller roles, Selena was cast as Alex Russo in Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place. She would go on to film four seasons from 2007 to 2012.
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2008
Selena landed the lead role of Mary Santiago in Another Cinderella Story.
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2007 to 2008
After making a name for herself on the Disney Channel, Selena went on to appear on several episodes of Hannah Montana as Mikayla.
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2008
Selena sparked a friendship with the Jonas Brothers, and even made a cameo in their Jonas Brothers: Burnin’ Up music short.
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2008
The actress embarked on her first high-profile relationship in 2008 when she briefly dated Nick Jonas.
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2011
Young love. After denying their romance, the “Wolves” singer and Justin Bieber made their red carpet debut as a couple at the Vanity Fair Oscar party in West Hollywood in February 2011. They eventually split in November 2012.
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2014
A rep for Selena at the time confirmed she had entered rehab in Wickenburg, Arizona. “I’ve done everything I could to the best of my ability,” the Disney alum later wrote on Instagram. “Thank you for the unconditional love and cyber hugs. You inspire me.”
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2016
“As many of you know, around a year ago I revealed that I have Lupus, an illness that can affect people in different ways. I’ve discovered that anxiety, panic attacks and depression can be side effects of Lupus, which can present their own challenges,” Selena said in a statement to Us Weekly in August 2016. “I want to be proactive and focus on maintaining my health and happiness and have decided that the best way forward is to take some time off. Thank you to all my fans for your support. You know how special you are to me, but I need to face this head on to ensure I am doing everything possible to be my best. I know I am not alone and by sharing this, I hope others will be encouraged to address their own issues.”
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August 2017
Selena successfully underwent kidney transplant surgery after her close pal Francia Raisa donated her organ to the actress. The following month, she took to Instagram to share the news with her followers. “I’m very aware some of my fans had noticed I was laying low for part of the summer and questioning why I wasn’t promoting my new music, which I was extremely proud of. So I found out I needed to get a kidney transplant due to my Lupus and was recovering. It was what I needed to do for my overall health,” she wrote. “I want to publicly thank my family and incredible team of doctors for everything they have done for me prior to and post-surgery. And finally, there aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa. She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis.”
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Late 2017
Selena and Bieber gave their relationship a second shot before splitting for good in March 2018, just months before the “Sorry” crooner proposed to his now-wife Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin).
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2018
Selena completed another stint in treatment in December 2018, and opened up about her mental health in an Instagram post the following month. “It’s been awhile since you have heard from me, but I wanted to wish everyone a happy new year and to thank you for your love and support,” she wrote. “Last year was definitely a year of self-reflection, challenges and growth. It’s always those challenges which show you who you are and what you are capable of overcoming. Trust me, it’s not easy, but I am proud of the person I am becoming and look forward to the year ahead. Love you all.”
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May 2019
The former child star made her Cannes Film Festival debut to promote her role in Jim Jarmusch’s indie horror-comedy The Dead Don’t Die.
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October 2019
Gomez released the emotional lead track from her upcoming third studio album, Rare, titled “Lose You to Love Me.” The next day, she dropped a surprise upbeat single called “Look at Her Now.”
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November 2019
Gomez made her comeback performance at the 2019 American Music Awards, where she opened up the show with “Lose You to Love Me” and “Look at Her Now.” Us exclusively revealed that the Princess Protection Program actress “did have a panic attack” right before her performance.
“She ultimately decided to push through and perform anyway,” the insider added. “She had rehearsed and was excited to get back on stage, but she got nervous right before because it’s been a while.”
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January 2020
Gomez released Rare, four years after her second solo album, Revival. During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon later that month, she opened up about the inspiration behind the album.
“I think what was most important for me with this record is to make sure that every single song, whether it was the lyrics or the production, to mean something and to actually hold weight,” she explained. “One of my favorite songs is ‘Vulnerable’ on the album. It was a way of me hoping I could just be a voice for people who are in the same situation I’m in — whether it’s something mentally that people struggle with or relationships, friendships, I wanted to be as honest as I could.”
Rare debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
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February 2020
After the singer ended her longtime on and off relationship with Canadian pop star Justin Bieber in 2018, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that Selena is “extremely relieved” to close that chapter of her life that was consumed by him.
She opened up about their relationship on her Rare album and the insider told Us at the time that “She loved being able to tell her truth through her own art and her own way. It took a lot of discipline, obedience and strength to get her mental and emotional health back in a good place.”
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April 2020
During an interview on Miley Cyrus’ Instagram Live series, Bright Minded: Live with Miley, Gomez opened up about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. “Recently, I went to one of the best mental hospitals in the world,” she explained. “And I discussed that after years of going through a lot of different things I realized that I was bipolar.”
She continued, “When I have more information, it actually helps me, it doesn’t scare me once I know it. When I finally said what I was going to say, I wanted to know everything about it and it took the fear away.”
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April 2020
Gomez filed a $10 million lawsuit against Chinese development company Guangzhou Feidong Software Technology Co. and MutantBox Interactive Limited for using her likeness in a game without her permission.
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August 2020
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Gomez starred in her own quarantine cooking show, Selena + Chef, on HBO Max. Acclaimed chefs joined the singer in her home kitchen to take on delicious recipes for two full seasons. A third season was greenlit in April 2021.
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September 2020
The Disney Channel alum launched her own beauty line, Rare Beauty, which is full of thoughtfully formulated, thoroughly tested products in 14 categories via Sephora and RareBeauty.com.
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January 2021
She debuted her first Spanish-language EP, Revelación, with seven tracks sung in Spanish.
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March 2021
Gomez released Revelación, her seven-song EP which was predominantly in Spanish, but she revealed that her music career may not last forever.
The “Selfish Love” performer told Vogue that it was difficult to feel accomplished “when people don’t necessarily take you seriously” as an artist. “I think there are a lot of people who enjoy my music, and for that I’m so thankful, for that I keep going, but I think the next time I do an album it’ll be different,” she told the outlet. “I want to give it one last try before I maybe retire music.”
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April 2021
The singer, who went platinum blonde, announced her Mental Health 101 campaign with her Rare Beauty brand to support mental health education.
“I know firsthand how scary and lonely it can feel to face anxiety and depression by yourself at a young age,” she wrote via Instagram at the time. “If I had learned about my mental health earlier on — been taught about my condition in school that way I was taught about other subjects — my journey could have looked very different. The world needs to know that mental health matters. It’s just as important as your physical health, and I wish we could all acknowledge that, not just in words but through our actions.”
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June 2021
The first trailer and set photos for Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building were released, in which Gomez has a starring role alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short.
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August 2021
The star made her return to TV in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building. Gomez made headlines when she spoke with Us and other reporters during a Television Critics Association press panel about the difference between what she looked for when she did Wizards of Waverly Place and what she wants in her roles as an adult.
“I signed my life away to Disney at a very young age and I didn’t know that’s what I was doing,” she laughed. “The level of the sophistication of the material is the reason why I wanted to do this, but I don’t know? I was just a kid and I didn’t know what I was doing. I was just running around the set.”
Gomez clarified her comments later that month during a Radio Times interview. “I was looking for another show to do,” she said. “And by the way, I’m beyond proud of the work that I did with Disney as well. It kind of shaped who I am in a way.”
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November 2021
Her first Grammy nomination came in the Best Latin Pop Album category for her 2021 Spanish-language release Revelación. She lost to Alex Cuba‘s Mendó at the April 2022 ceremony.
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February 2022
The actress received her first SAG Awards nomination. She was up for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series alongside her Only Murders in the Buildings cast. The Ted Lasso cast won the category.
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March 2022
Gomez celebrated her first major solo acting nomination at the Critics’ Choice Television Awards, where she was up for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in the Hulu murder mystery. Hacks star Jean Smart ultimately took the trophy home.
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May 2022
She made her Saturday Night Live hosting debut on May 14, ahead of the second season of Only Murders in the Building.
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October 2022
The Rare Beauty founder made headlines when she hugged Justin’s wife, Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin), at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures annual gala.
“Yeah, it’s not a big deal. It’s not even a thing,” Gomez told Vulture when asked about the run-in one month later.
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November 2022
Gomez opened up about her mental health battle in an Apple TV+ documentary, titled Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me. To celebrate the film’s premiere, she stunned in a purple silk gown by Rodarte.
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December 2022
Gomez stunned in an all-black ensemble at the Variety Hitmakers Brunch.
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