Selena Gomez is one of the best things that came out from Disney Channel. The child star turned pop princess has made a huge and lasting impact on pop culture, and her contributions from it cannot be missed.
Growing up, Gomez made strides while she was still in Barney. Eventually, she got cast into smaller roles and ended up playing Alex Russo in the magical comedy Disney Channel Original Series "Wizards of Waverly Place," along with David Deluise, David Henrie, Jennifer Stone, Jake T. Austin, and Maria Canals Barrera, among many others.
Since then, Gomez's fame has catapulted to the world, with fans worldwide; Gomez was one of the biggest names in the industry.
Gomez was also friends with other Disney alums like Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato. The three went on to become the closest friends but eventually drifted apart as they grew up.
Gomez and Cyrus starred in various crossovers of their shows, "Wizards of Waverly Place," and "Hannah Montana." Meanwhile, Gomez and Lovato starred in the Disney Channel Original movie "Princess Protection Program" which earned Gomez a Teen Choice Award for Choice Summer TV Star - Female.
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Gomez, who has embarked on a rollercoaster of an emotional and musical journey, shared in a recent interview with Vanity Fair her thoughts on growing up with and growing out of the Disney glitter.
For her, she "definitely feel free" of it.
"Sometimes I get triggered. It's not that I'm ashamed of my past, it's just that I've worked so hard to find my own way. I don't want to be who I was. I want to be who I am," she confessed.
In her own documentary, "My Mind & Me," painstakingly details her struggles as a child actor and eventually suffering from mental health diseases and her lupus diagnosis.
"I wasn't a wild child by any means, but I was on Disney, so I had to make sure not to say 'What the hell?' in front of anyone. It's stuff that I was also putting on myself to be the best role model I could be," she admitted. "Now I think being the best role model is being honest, even with the ugly and complicated parts of yourself."
Gomez has definitely left the Disney glitter behind, as she is already starring in her Emmy-nominated show, "Only Murders in the Building." She earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy for the show's second season.
READ ALSO: Selena Gomez New Album 2023: A Final Jab at Justin Bieber?
