The amazing Selena Gomez's career
From Emilia Pérez to Only Murders in the Building, passing through The Wizards of Waverly
January 10th, 2025
On October 29, 2024, Selena Gomez returns to where it all, or almost all, began. The actress and singer appeared in the first episode of The Wizards of Waverly - Return to Waverly Place, a sequel and spin-off of the U.S. teen sitcom that aired on Disney Channel, marking the beginning of her rise to fame. A pleasant surprise and a gesture of recognition and gratitude that stars don’t always show for the roles that made them iconic.
Selena Gomez's Career: A Master of Versatility
Just under twenty years have passed since the series premiered in 2007, and the then-15-year-old Alex Russo actress has ventured further into the entertainment industry than most, successfully freeing herself from Disney’s grasp. She has released 3 solo albums (she was also part of Selena Gomez & the Scene, earning one platinum and two gold records), served as a UNICEF ambassador, founded her production company July Moon Productions in 2008, launched her clothing line Dream Out Loud by Selena Gomez in 2012, and introduced her Rare Beauty makeup line with Sephora in 2020. This progressive growth has led her to amass a billion-dollar fortune by 2024. On a personal note, her tumultuous private life took a joyful turn last year with the announcement of her engagement to music producer Benny Blanco.
Selena Gomez’s Films and Her Cinematic Career
It's remarkable how Gomez has not only captivated a devoted fandom but also earned the attention of some of the most acclaimed masters of cinema, establishing herself as an actress. Even more impressive is how she has marked two decades with films that have forever changed her career trajectory and cultural imagination. From working with Woody Allen (A Rainy Day in New York) and Jim Jarmusch (The Dead Don’t Die), she has gone on to collaborate with Harmony Korine in 2012 and Jacques Audiard in 2024, becoming part of two groundbreaking films born from the fervor of their directors.
In 2012, Harmony Korine, the artistic mind behind Gummo, had the vision to cast some of the most angelic faces from teen television in gritty, tumultuous roles that saw them lose their innocence. Selena Gomez joined Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical), Ashley Benson (Pretty Little Liars), and Rachel Korine (the director’s wife) in Spring Breakers. Set during spring break, a time for experimenting with drugs and flaunting skimpy bikinis, the cult classic transformed the traditional U.S. vacation week into a rite of passage, teetering between paradise and hell. The protagonists are drawn into a journey of decadence, becoming gangster’s molls—and the rest is history.
The Scandal of Spring Breakers and Emilia Pérez
A scandalous film that became a symbol of irreverent cinema in the early 2010s, Spring Breakers encapsulated its essence in a mix of criticism and celebration of American culture and society. Beneath its vibrant pink and blue psychedelic lights and costumes, it exposed the rot of a hedonistic Florida immortalized in cinematic lore. Twelve years later, Selena Gomez has joined another unforgettable film destined to leave a mark. Emilia Pérez is a musical about a drug lord who transitions from male to female, winning Best Film in Musical and Foreign categories at the 2025 Golden Globes, and previously earning acclaim at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where its trio of leading ladies—Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Selena Gomez—shared the Best Actress award. With songs about vaginoplasty and themes of identity and transformation, this bold and groundbreaking work by Audiard stands as a landmark in his filmography.
Selena Gomez in 2025: Beyond Only Murders in the Building
As if that weren’t enough, highlighting the broad spectrum of opportunities her career has opened, Gomez has earned nominations for two roles in the same year: Best Supporting Actress for Emilia Pérez and for her portrayal of Mabel Mora in the series Only Murders in the Building. Alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short, she forms another unique and explosive trio. From auteur cinema to comedy, from music to investigative podcasts, 2025 looks bright for Selena Gomez. Here’s hoping she continues to make smart choices in films and shows, while we eagerly await the next decade and her inevitable participation in another unmissable project.