Was the paparazzi experience very hard for Selena Gomez? (Photo Credit – Instagram)
Advertisement
Yes, seeing your face flash across magazines and articles with unexpected narratives is never easy for anyone and least of all for someone who entered the industry as a young child and gained popularity as a teenager. Selena Gomez may be a known name and face but it took a lot to get to this place in her life and career.
Right from her work as Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place, she has been the subject of widespread interest and media attention. A few years ago, she spoke about how she felt violated during the starting years of her career. Here’s what the 32-year-old shared about the invasive moments.
When Selena Gomez Revealed Feeling Violated By Paparazzi As A Teenager
During a March 2021 cover story with Vogue, Selena recalled a moment when she was in her teenage years and was being followed by paparazzi. She said, “I remember going to the beach with some family members who were visiting,” and added, “We saw, far away, grown men with cameras taking pictures of a 15-year-old in her swimsuit. That is a violating feeling.”
She then explained that it was hard for her at first but then she had to grow used to it. “I think I spent so many years just trying to say the right thing to people for the sake of keeping myself sane,” Selena stated. She then said, “I’m just such a people-pleaser.” It’s something she claims even now in her recent interviews in 2025 as she mentions how she has struggled with it.
At the time, she added, “I still live with this haunting feeling that people still view me as this Disney girl,” referring to her image as a teenage star and wanting to break free of it. The Wizards of Waverly Place star pointed out that she is grateful for family and friends because they were there before any of the fame. “They loved me for me, and they still do,” she felt but said, “I can’t say that I have that anymore,” with her being a well known name.
“I can’t meet someone and know if they like me for me,” Selena mused at the time. The actress mentioned that when she entered the pop industry, she always felt it was hard to keep making music because “people don’t necessarily” took her seriously. Even after her hit song, Lose You To Love Me, “for some people it still wasn’t enough,” the Fetish hitmaker claimed.
“I’ve had moments where I’ve been like, ‘What’s the point? Why do I keep doing this?’” she accepted and it has resulted in her exhausting herself. “I knew I couldn’t go on unless I learned to listen to my body and mind when I really needed help,” Selena concluded about her mental health spirals.
