Reflecting On Selena Gomez's Unstoppable Transformation Both On And Off The Screen

Selena Gomez is a triple threat — she acts, sings, and dances. This woman can do it all.

Selena Gomez in a beige trench coat and white blouse, standing in an elevator in a scene from Hulu's "Only Murders in the Building."

And in case you haven't heard, she's now reportedly a billionare.

Selena Gomez wipes her forehead with a cloth in a kitchen. Text reads "It's hard work." Background includes a brick wall and an arched kitchen feature

But that didn't happen overnight! She has been in the spotlight since childhood, making an impact in both music and acting and has become an adored figure and an inspiration for her fans.

Selena Gomez dressed in a vintage-style striped outfit and sailor hat, posing and smiling in a playful manner

Beyond her talents, she has openly talked about her mental and physical struggles, showcasing her vulnerability and strength.

Selena Gomez in a casual outfit with a brown coat and jeans, sitting on a chair during an event, holding a microphone
Paul Best / Getty Images / Via Getty Images

I've put together photographs highlighting her professional accomplishments and evolution as an artist, capturing her distinct style and charisma over the years:

1.In 2002, Selena Gomez began her acting career on Barney & Friends, staring as Gianna.

Selena Gomez standing and speaking while a young boy with light hair and seated in the background listens attentively

2.To start her film career, Selena took on roles in the films Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, playing the role of the Waterpark Girl and Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire, playing the role of Julie.

Selena Gomez and Daryl Sabara in winter clothing, standing outside a theme park with castle structures in the background, appearing focused

3.In 2006, she began her journey on Disney Channel. She guest-starred on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, playing the role of Gwen.

Selena Gomez, wearing a long-sleeved top with two braids, holds a blue booklet and speaks in front of a blue curtain backdrop

4.A year later, in 2007, Selena starred in the Disney Channel show Hannah Montana, where she played pop-star rival Mikayla.

Selena Gomez in a scene from "Hannah Montana," sitting at a table and holding a phone. She is wearing a pink mesh top under a black vest

5.That same year, Wizards of Waverly Place premiered with Selena Gomez playing the character of Alex Russo, a teenager in a wizard family that runs a restaurant. The show was a hit on Disney Channel and ran for five years, ending with its fourth and final season in 2012.

Selena Gomez at a Disney Channel event, blowing a kiss while sitting at a table, wearing a casual long-sleeve top
Michael Tran / FilmMagic / Via Getty Images

6.In 2008, Selena Gomez voiced the character of Helga in the animated film Horton Hears a Who! She also took the lead role of Mary Santiago in the movie Another Cinderella Story that same year.

Selena Gomez waves and smiles while wearing a stylish dress
Jon Kopaloff / FilmMagic / Via Getty Images

7.In 2009, Wizards of Waverly Place won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program.

Selena Gomez smiles while holding an Emmy Award, wearing a strapless, bejeweled gown at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences event
Jason Laveris / FilmMagic / Via Getty Images

8.In 2009, her band Selena Gomez & The Scene premiered their debut album Kiss & Tell, marking a huge milestone in her music career.

Selena Gomez on stage, wearing a sequined dress and black tights, singing into a microphone with a band setup in the background
Adam Larkey / Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images / Via Getty Images

9.In 2009, Selena starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Princess Protection Program with Demi Lovato. Together, they recorded a song for the film's soundtrack called "One and the Same."

Selena Gomez at the Princess Protection Program event, standing on a red carpet in a short, one-shoulder white dress with silver high heels and jewelry
George Pimentel / WireImage / Via Getty Images

10.In 2009, Selena Gomez starred in Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie, a film adaptation of the popular television series Wizards of Waverly Place.

Selena Gomez smiles at a Disney Channel event, wearing a black and white patterned top with her hair styled in loose waves
David Livingston / Getty Images / Via Getty Images

11.Selena Gomez won the Kids' Choice Award for Favorite TV Actress in 2009 and continued her winning streak by taking the award home for five consecutive years until 2013.

Selena Gomez at the Teen Choice Awards 2009 wearing a one-shoulder dress and silver heels
Jon Kopaloff / FilmMagic / Via Getty Images

12.In 2010, Selena stared in Ramona and Beezus, playing the role of Beezus Quimby.

Selena Gomez wears a white outfit with a black belt at the premiere of "Ramona and Beezus." The event backdrop features sponsor logos and film release information
James Devaney / WireImage / Via Getty Images

13.Also in 2010, Selena Gomez & The Scene released their hit songs 'Naturally and 'Round & Round'. The group also embarked on a successful tour.

A group photo on the red carpet of the MTV EMAs featuring Selena Gomez in a white ruffled dress with four men from the band, The Scene
Dave Benett / Getty Images / Via Getty Images

14.In 2012, Selena starred in Spring Breakers and played the role of Faith. The film, released in 2013, had a star-studded cast that included Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson, James Franco, and Rachel Korine.

Selena Gomez waves and smiles while walking on the red carpet in an elegant strapless gown with intricate detailing. Photographers are in the background
Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images / Via Getty Images

15.In 2012, Wizards of Waverly Place won another Emmy for Outstanding Children's Program.

Selena Gomez smiles, wearing a sleeveless black halter dress with intricate lace and feather details
Eric Charbonneau / WireImage / Via Getty Images

16.In 2013, Selena Gomez released her debut solo album Stars Dance, featuring the popular song "Come & Get It." The music video for "Come & Get It" won the Best Pop Video award at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards.

Selena Gomez on stage in an intricate, ethereal purple dress with sheer, flowing fabric and detailed embellishments, performing barefoot
Adam Taylor / Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images / Via Getty Images

17.In November 2014, Selena released her first greatest hits album, For You.

Selena Gomez stands on stage, holding a microphone, in an elegant flowing gown
Christopher Polk / Getty Images for DCP / Via Getty Images

18.In 2015, in an interview with Billboard magazine, Selena opened up about her lupus diagnosis and her treatment.

Selena Gomez in a black patterned dress, with her hair styled in loose waves, attending an event
Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images / Via Getty Images

19.In 2015, Selena released the songs "Good For You" and "I Want You to Know."

Selena Gomez performs on stage, holds a microphone, and points upward. She wears a sparkly, long-sleeved dress
C Flanigan / Getty Images / Via Getty Images

20.Selena released her second album, Revival, in October 2015.

Selena Gomez performs on stage, wearing a sleek, fitted black dress with sheer panels and black gloves
Gilbert Carrasquillo / Getty Images / Via Getty Images

21.In 2016, Selena started her global Revival Tour but had to cancel due to health issues following her lupus diagnosis.

Selena Gomez performs on stage in a sheer, black bodysuit. She holds a microphone and gestures with her other hand. Audience hands hold up signs
Don Arnold / WireImage / Via Getty Images

22.In 2016, Selena became the most followed person on Instagram. After taking time off to focus on her mental health, she stepped away from social media. Later that year, she appeared at the American Music Awards and won the award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist.

Selena Gomez at the American Music Awards, wearing a sleeveless, fitted gown and statement earrings
Variety / Penske Media via Getty Images / Via Getty Images

23.In 2016, Selena was listed in the music category on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list.

Selena Gomez on a red carpet in a metallic, form-fitting dress with large buttons down the front, holding a matching clutch
Anthony Harvey / Getty Images / Via Getty Images

24.In 2017, Selena dropped "It Ain't Me" with Kygo.

Selena Gomez speaks on a dark stage at a WE Day event, holding a WE-branded microphone. She wears a colorful, patchwork jacket with various fun designs
Robyn Beck / AFP via Getty Images / Via Getty Images

25.In 2017, Selena served as executive producer for the coming-of-age drama 13 Reasons Why. She released multiple songs for the soundtracks, including "Back To You" and a cover of the song "Only You."

Selena Gomez on the red carpet, wearing a strapless, knee-length orange dress with a structured design. She is posing in front of a backdrop with the Netflix logo
Axelle / FilmMagic / Via Getty Images

26.In 2017, Selena released "Bad Liar" and collaborated with producer Marshmello for the song "Wolves."

Selena Gomez on the red carpet, smiling and playfully placing a finger on her lips, wearing a black leather jacket and large loop earrings
Steve Granitz / WireImage / Via Getty Images

27.Selena was named Billboard's Woman of the Year in 2017.

Selena Gomez at Billboard Women in Music event, wearing a black strapless top and black pants with cutout detailing, standing on a pink carpet backdrop
Lester Cohen / Getty Images For Billboard / Via Getty Images

28.In 2018, Selena was featured on DJ Snake's track "Taki Taki," which won two Latin American Music Awards and the MTV Millennial Award.

Selena Gomez at the American Music Awards wearing a strapless, satin green dress with a large bow and a diamond necklace, posing on the red carpet
David Crotty / Patrick McMullan via Getty Images / Via Getty Images

29.In 2018, Selena became Spotify's most-streamed artist, even though she hadn't released an album since 2015.

Selena Gomez on a red carpet in a formal, embellished gown, with cameras and photographers in the background
Dia Dipasupil / WireImage / Via Getty Images

30.In 2019, Selena starred in The Dead Don't Die as Zoe and A Rainy Day in New York as Chan Tyrell. She also served as an executive producer for the Netflix docuseries Living Undocumented, which follows eight undocumented families in America.

Rosario Dawson and Selena Gomez pose next to a 'Living Undocumented' poster at a Netflix event
Charley Gallay / Getty Images for Netflix / Via Getty Images

31.In 2019, Selena released "Lose You to Love Me" and "Look at Her Now." "Lose You to Love Me" topped the Billboard Hot 100, marking Gomez's first number-one song on the chart.

Selena Gomez is on stage, wearing a fitted black dress, holding a microphone and performing against an ornate background
Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for dcp / Via Getty Images

32.Selena released her album Rare in January 2020.

Selena Gomez sits on a director's chair with legs crossed, wearing a plaid blazer, light blue jeans, hoop earrings, and holding a microphone
Kevin Winter / Getty Images for iHeart / Via Getty Images

33.In 2020, Selena Gomez voiced the character of Betsy, a giraffe, in the adventure film Dolittle, which featured Robert Downey Jr.

Selena Gomez poses on a red carpet in a pink turtleneck and a flowing black skirt
Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images / Via Getty Images

34.Selena launched her makeup line, Rare Beauty, in September 2020. The line focuses on inclusivity, mental health initiatives, and education.

Selena Gomez stands in front of a background with "Rare" and Puma logos, wearing a checkered suit ensemble and large hoop earrings
Cindy Ord / Getty Images for PUMA / Via Getty Images

35.In 2021, Selena starred in, and also executively produced, the Hulu/Disney+ series Only Murders in the Building with co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short. She plays the role of Mabel Mora.

Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short smiling and wearing winter coats while walking outdoors among people, including some in masks
James Devaney / GC Images / Via Getty Images

36.In November 2022, Selena released her documentary Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me on Apple TV+. The documentary follows Selena's mental health journey and her struggles with lupus and bipolar disorder.

Selena Gomez poses on the red carpet at the AFI Fest Film Festival, wearing an elegant one-shoulder, purple satin dress with statement earrings
Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images / Via Getty Images

37.In 2023, Selena released "Single Soon," which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Trending Songs chart on August 26.

Selena Gomez in a red lace gown and Taylor Swift in a black dress pose together indoors at an event with seated attendees in the background
Johnny Nunez / Getty Images for MTV / Via Getty Images

38.In 2024, it was announced that Wizards of Waverly Place would return to screens, with Selena reprising her role as Alex Russo.

Selena Gomez on the red carpet in an off-shoulder dress with floral detailing, smiling at the camera. Photographers are seen in the background
Mike Marsland / Mike Marsland / WireImage / Via Getty Images

39.In February 2024, Selena released her single "Love On."

Selena Gomez smiles while holding a "DEADLINE" microphone during an interview, wearing a black outfit with long, wavy hair
Deadline / Deadline via Getty Images / Via Getty Images

40.In September 2024, Selena joined the Billionaires Club!

Selena Gomez waves while wearing a black strapless gown at an event with a backdrop featuring large filmstrips
Michael Buckner / Variety via Getty Images / Via Getty Images

41.Releasing in November 2024, the film Emilia Pérez features Selena Gomez playing the role of Jessi.

Selena Gomez at an event, wearing an elegant black and white off-shoulder gown with a sparkling diamond necklace and matching earrings
Lionel Hahn / Getty Images / Via Getty Images

We would love to hear about your favorite Selena Gomez show, song, or movie...share your thoughts in the comments below!

Latine Heritage Month is here! Join us in celebrating from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and support our content celebrating la cultural.

BuzzFeed illustration celebrates Latine Heritage Month, featuring musicians, traditional foods, and women showcasing cultural hairstyles and customs
Charlotte Gomez / BuzzFeed