Selena Marie Gomez (born July 22, 1992) is an American singer, actress, producer, and businesswoman. Gomez began her acting career on the children’s television series Barney & Friends (2002–2004). As a teenager, she rose to prominence for starring as Alex Russo on the Disney Channel television series Wizards of Waverly Place (2007–2012). Alongside her television career, Gomez appeared in the films Another Cinderella Story (2008), Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie (2009), Ramona and Beezus (2010), Monte Carlo (2011), Spring Breakers (2012), Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016), and The Dead Don’t Die (2019), and voiced Mavis in the Hotel Transylvania film franchise (2012–2022).
Parents and family
Selena Marie Gomez was born on July 22, 1992, in Grand Prairie, Texas, to Ricardo Joel Gomez and Texas-born former stage actress Mandy Teefey. She was named after Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla, who died in 1995. Her father is of Mexican descent, while her mother, who was adopted, has Italian ancestry. Gomez’s paternal grandparents emigrated to Texas from Monterrey in the 1970s. Of her heritage, Gomez has said she is “a proud third-generation American-Mexican” and “My family does have quinceañeras, and we go to the communion church. We do everything that’s Catholic, but we don’t really have anything traditional except go to the park and have barbecues on Sundays after church.” Gomez was fluent in Spanish until age seven. Her parents divorced when she was five years old, and she remained with her mother. Gomez has two younger half-sisters and a younger stepbrother: Gracie Elliot Teefey, through Mandy and her second husband, Brian Teefey, and Victoria “Tori” and Marcus Gomez, through Ricardo and his second wife, Sara. She earned her high-school diploma through homeschooling in May 2010.
Gomez was born when her mother was 16 years old. The family had financial troubles throughout Gomez’s childhood, her mother struggling to provide for the pair. At one point, Gomez recalls that they had to search for quarters just to get gas for their car. Her mother later recalled that the two would frequently walk to their local dollar store to buy spaghetti for dinner. Gomez has said, “I was frustrated that my parents weren’t together, and never saw the light at the end of the tunnel where my mom was working hard to provide a better life for me. I’m terrified of what I would have become if I’d stayed [in Texas].” She later added that her mother “was really strong around me. Having me at 16 had to have been a big responsibility. She gave up everything for me, had three jobs, supported me, sacrificed her life for me.” Gomez had a close relationship with her grandparents as a child and appeared in various pageants. Her grandparents often took care of her while her parents finished their schooling, and she has said they “raised her” until she found success in show business.
Siblings
The Texas native is a big sister to younger sisters Gracie Elliot Teefey and Victoria Gomez. She has no brother.
Religion
Gomez was raised Catholic. At age 13, she wanted a purity ring, and her father went to the church and had it blessed. She has said, “He actually used me as an example for other kids: I’m going to keep my promise to myself, to my family and to God.” Gomez stopped wearing the ring in 2010. In 2017, she said she did not like the term “religion” and that sometimes it “freaks me out,” adding, “I don’t know if it’s necessarily that I believe in religion as much as I believe in faith and a relationship with God.” In 2014, Gomez said that she listened to “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” by Hillsong United before performing at the 2014 American Music Awards. In 2016, she appeared at a Hillsong Young & Free concert in Los Angeles, leading worship by singing her song “Nobody”. When a fan on Twitter asked her who the lyrics to “Nobody” refer to, Gomez replied that they refer to God. She also covered Hillsong Worship’s song “Transfiguration” during her Revival Tour. As of 2020, she attends a different congregation in California, the Hillsong Church, and has said that she does not consider herself religious, but is more concerned with her faith and connection to God.
Lifestyle
Singer, songwriter, actor, and businesswoman Selena Gomez has worn many hats in her career—and has amassed a net worth of $95 million doing so.
Gomez owned a $6.6 million mansion in Calabasas, Los Angeles. In 2014, she sold her mansion in Tarzana, Los Angeles for $3.5 million. In 2015, she purchased a mansion in Fort Worth, Texas, for $3.5 million, and in October 2018 the mansion was sold. In 2020, Gomez moved to a $5 million mansion in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Encino. In the same year, she sold her house in Studio City, Los Angeles for $2.3 million.
In 2019, she was paid $30 million dollars by PUMA, to be the face of the athletic apparel brand alongside Rihanna.
At one point Selena Gomez was the most followed user on Instagram.
Husband and Children
Gomez dated singer Nick Jonas from 2008 to 2009. She appeared in the music video for his band’s song “Burnin’ Up”. From December 2010 to March 2018, Gomez was in an on-again, off-again relationship with Canadian singer Justin Bieber. In 2015, she began dating Russian-German DJ Zedd shortly after recording their song “I Want You to Know”. They broke up later that year. In January 2017, Gomez began dating Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. They moved in together temporarily later on in September, but broke up a month later.
Selena Gomez is at the moment not yet married and has no kids for now.
Best friend
Gomez regards Taylor Swift as her “only” friend in the industry; they have expressed their admiration for each other numerous times in the media since 2008, and their friendship has been widely covered by news outlets.
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