‘I don’t want to be who I was’: Selena Gomez exudes glamor as she poses for the Hollywood edition of Vanity Fair and admits she’s ‘triggered’ by her Disney past
Selena Gomez has revealed that sometimes she gets “triggered” when she’s reminded of her past as a Disney star and finally feels “free” from it.
The 30-year-old actress first appeared on screens as a child in Barney & Friends, but rose to greater fame when she starred in the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place from 2007 to 2012.
In Vanity Fair’s annual Hollywood issue, Selena said she’s worked hard to part with her time at the family-friendly brand.
She said: “I 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.”
Selena also appeared in the film Wizards of Waverly Place and released music through Hollywood Records, which also signed several other Disney stars including Hilary Duff, Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers.
Open: Selena Gomez has revealed that sometimes she gets “triggered” when she’s reminded of her past as a Disney star and finally feels “free” of it
Spotlight: The 30-year-old actress first appeared on screens as a child in Barney & Friends, but rose to greater fame when she starred in the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place from 2007 to 2012
The star also said that in the early years of her career there were times when she was told she couldn’t say or do certain things.
She said: “I wasn’t a wild child by any means, but I was at Disney, so I had to make sure I wasn’t saying, ‘What the hell?’ said. in front of someone They’re things I’ve also set myself to do to be the best role model I could be.
“Now I think being the best role model means being honest, even with the ugly and complicated sides of yourself.”
Selena previously told People she felt a lot of pressure to be “perfect” during the show as she was seen as a role model for young people.
She said: “I still live with this haunting feeling that people still see me as this Disney girl. That was kind of my job – to be perfect. You’re considered a character that kids look up to and they take that seriously there.
Elsewhere during her Vanity Fair interview, Selena was asked what advice she would give to a young person just starting out in Hollywood.
Without mincing her words, she said: “All I can say is that if you ever have any questions, I’d be happy to help. But this industry is a beast. It’s really scary to see what happens when you get so much power and money at a young age. I think it’s extremely scary.’
Selena added that young people should be careful who they trust and expressed relief that her sister Gracie, nine, has shown no interest in entering the industry.
Selena said: “I 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.
The singer also discussed going public with her bipolar diagnosis in her documentary Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me.
The star said she’s not ashamed of her diagnosis and said the film allowed her to “be open about everything.”
The Hollywood edition of Vanity Fair, which also stars Florence Pugh, Emma Corrin and Austin Butler, is available now.
