Selena Marie Gomez (born July 22, 1992) is an
American actress and
singer best known for playing
Alex Russo on the
Disney Channel Original Series,
Wizards of Waverly Place. She has appeared in episodes of other Disney Channel Original Series as well. In 2008 she signed with
Hollywood Records, and is currently working on her debut album, which is tentatively set to be released in the summer of 2009.
Early lifeGomez, an
only child,
was raised in
Grand Prairie, Texas. Her father, Ricardo Gomez, is from
Mexico and her mother, Mandy Teefey, is of half
Italian descent.
She was named after
Tejano music singer
Selena and has met her family.
Her mother is a former stage actress.
ActingGomez began her acting career at the age of seven, where she spent
her birthday at an open casting call competing with thousands of others
for a role in the hit children's television series
Barney & Friends. She was cast as a recurring character named Gianna in seasons seven and eight.
Gomez appeared in national commercials for several companies including
Wal-Mart,
Hasbro and TGI Friday’s.
In 2003 she was cast in the movie
Spy Kids 3D for a small role. She made a small appearance in the made-for-television movie,
Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial By Fire. That same year, she landed the lead role of Emily Grace Garcia alongside Lewis Parry in the movie
Brain Zapped. This was her first main role in a film.
2004-2006In 2004 Gomez was discovered by
Disney,
in their first worldwide casting search. Three weeks after the
auditions in Dallas Texas, her hometown, she was invited to meet the
Disney Channel programming executives, in Los Angeles.
She was then cast as a guest star in the second season of of Disney Channel Original Series,
The Suite Life of Zack & Codyas Gwen, in the episode "A Midsummer's Nightmare". Subsequently, she
appeared in the second season of the Disney Channel Original Series,
Hannah Montana as
Hannah Montana's rival,
Mikayla.
She had appeared in two episodes, "I Want You to Want Me...To Go to
Florida" and "That's What Friends Are For?". A Suite Life spinoff,
Arwin!,
was supposed to be the original Gomez vehicle, but was not picked up by
Disney. She also took part as the lead character in another pilot,
What's Stevie Thinking?, a spin-off of the Disney Channel Original Series,
Lizzie McGuire, but it was also not picked up.
2007-presentIn 2007, she was cast in the lead role
Alex Russo, the mischievous middle child, in the Disney Channel Original Series,
Wizards of Waverly Place. The series premiered October 2007 on
Disney Channel. Due to the success of the show, a second season was bought and it is currently airing.
In 2008 Gomez was involved in two feature films. The first, was a voice-over of the Mayor's 96 daughters, in the animated film,
Horton Hears a Who!. She had shared this role with
Samantha Droke. The second was a sequel to
A Cinderella Story called
Another Cinderella Story.
She had played the role of a down on her luck high school dancer, named
Mary. That same year, she was cast as Carter, an insecure tomboy in the
upcomming Disney Channel Original Movie,
Princess Protection Program alongside her best friend,
Demi Lovato.
Gomez appeared on the olympic-based special miniseries,
Disney Channel Games for the third annual show. Subsequently, she had hosted the second show of
Studio DC: Almost Live, a special half-hour variety show that features
The Muppets as well as
Disney Channel stars. She had also made a small appearance on
Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream.
On October 30, 2008,
TV Guidereported that Gomez had launched her own production company, July Moon
Productions. The newly formed company will partner with XYZ Films to
create two star vehicles featuring Gomez.
MusicGomez's music career began in 2003 when she had recorded the theme song for her first movie,
Brain Zapped. She then went on to recording another theme song, "Everything Is Not What It Seems", for her Disney Channel Original Series,
Wizards of Waverly Place. She contributed a cover of the classic song "
Cruella de Vil" for the
101 Dalmatians platinum DVD; the song was also featured in
DisneyMania 6. In 2008, she had made an appearance in the
Jonas Brothers music video, "
Burnin' Up". During this time, she recorded three songs for the movie,
Another Cinderella Story, which she appears in. The songs were "
Tell Me Something I Don't Know", "Bang a Drum" and "New Classic". She had also recorded one for the animated film
Tinker Bell, called "Fly to Your Heart".
In 2008, just before her 16th birthday, she signed a non-exclusive record deal with
Hollywood Records. She said that she will be forming a band, rather than being a solo artist.
She is currently recording songs for her debut album, which is set for
release in 2009. During an inverview at "Target Presents Variety’s
Power of Youth", an event she had attended, Gomez stated: “Music is
another of my passions, I’m working on my first album for Hollywood
Records. It’ll be fun dance music, out next summer, and I’ll be doing a
national tour.”
YouTube videosGomez makes
YouTube Webcam videos with fellow
Barney & Friends actress
Demi Lovato, who says they have been friends since the
Barney auditions. Gomez also makes YouTube videos with her
Wizards of Waverly Place co-stars.
In July 2008, Gomez was part of an alleged feud with
Miley Cyrus.
After Gomez and Lovato posting a video on YouTube, Cyrus uploaded a
blatant spoof as part of the "Miley & Mandy" show, which caught the
interest of entertainment media. Reports included the theory that Gomez
and Cyrus were arguing over fellow Disney star
Nick Jonas,
or that Gomez and Lovato might replace Cyrus after Cyrus'
Vanity Fair photo shoot.
Gomez and Cyrus extinguished the rumors.
On the issue of replacing Cyrus, Gomez clarified, "I'm not interested
in being anybody but myself, and I'm not here to replace anyone. I
think that she's a wonderful performer, and of course it's a
compliment. But I would like to take a different route.