At 30, Selena Gomez has a staggering net worth of $95 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. However, the singer-actor comes from humble beginnings. Gomez hails from Grand Prairie, Texas. Raised primarily by her mom, Mandy Teefey, who was only 16 when Gomez was born, finances were tight when Gomez was a kid. However, her love of performing would provide her with a ticket out of her hometown.
Selena Gomez started her career at a young age
Gomez was only 7 when she got her start in the entertainment industry. She attended a casting call for the hit show Barney & Friends with 1,400 hopeful children. Miraculously, Gomez was one of seven kids chosen to be on the show. From 2002 to 2004, the Only Murders in the Building star appeared on the children’s show, which taught her how to sing, dance, and act for the camera.
But Gomez’s life and career would really take a turn in the years that followed. At 12, she would travel to Austin, Texas, to attend a casting call for the Disney Channel. Because of her performance at the casting call, she was invited to audition for the lead role in an upcoming pilot. Ultimately, Gomez would book the role, but the pilot would never be picked up to become a series.
Though Gomez’s initial pilot didn’t get picked up, she did land some smaller roles on other popular shows, including The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and Hannah Montana. Eventually, Gomez would leave her hometown in Texas and relocate to Los Angeles. And fate eventually dealt her a lucky hand when she booked Wizards of Waverly Place, cementing her place as a Disney darling.
Selena Gomez says she’d have multiple kids if she never left her hometown
While speaking with the Awards Chatter podcast, Selena Gomez admitted she’d definitely have kids if she’d never left her hometown.
“I would have four kids for sure,” Gomez said. “Maybe not planned, maybe planned, maybe both. And there’s nothing wrong with the life I would have led. I just know that that’s not my path, and I’m really grateful I had my mom to give me that opportunity to be what I want to be.”
Gomez also shared that most people she grew up with have families now. However, Gomez is thrilled with the life she has and is hellbent on celebrating herself. In fact, she recently rang in her 30th birthday with a party. Naturally, famous faces (e.g., Taylor Swift) and other longtime friends made an appearance.
“I am having a party because I was like, ‘You know what? All my friends back home are married with kids, so I’m just gonna throw my own party,” she said.
The ‘Boyfriend’ singer is 1 of the most famous faces on the globe
Gomez’s fame has continued to increase even after her tenure as Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place. Now, she is one of the most famous faces on the globe.
She’s currently starring in the Hulu mystery-comedy series Only Murders in the Building alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short. And her cooking series Selena + Chef will premiere a new season on Aug. 18. Plus, she has continued to release music over the years, including her 2021 Spanish-language EP Revelación.
Selena Gomez clearly still thinks about how her life could have taken a different path, having kids in her hometown. Instead, she has found tremendous success in the entertainment industry.
