Millions first knew Gomez as the witty Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place. Years later, she remains highly visible, but the shape of her success has changed.
She has faced serious health challenges, spoken openly about her mental health, returned to acclaimed acting, and built Rare Beauty into a major cosmetics brand. She has also continued making music and married producer Benny Blanco.
How Selena Gomez Became a Disney Channel Star
Gomez began acting as a child on Barney & Friends. Her major breakthrough arrived when Disney cast her as Alex Russo, a mischievous teenage wizard living in New York.
According to Disney's official history of the series, Wizards of Waverly Place ran from 2007 to 2012. The role made Gomez one of the Disney Channel's most recognizable young stars.
She soon moved into music with Selena Gomez & the Scene. Songs such as “Love You Like a Love Song” helped her build a career beyond television.
After the group ended, Gomez continued as a solo artist. Albums including Revival and Rare produced some of her best-known songs, including “Good for You,” “Same Old Love,” and “Lose You to Love Me.”
From the outside, her move from Disney star to adult performer looked smooth. Behind the scenes, however, her health began changing what she could manage.
Why Selena Gomez Stepped Back at Different Times
Gomez revealed in 2015 that she had lupus, an autoimmune disease. Health and mental-health concerns later interrupted her touring and public work.
In 2017, she received a kidney transplant after lupus damaged her kidneys. Her friend Francia Raisa donated the kidney. Gomez later told the Lupus Research Alliance that she felt fortunate to receive the transplant when her body was suffering from the disease's effects.
These interruptions sometimes created the impression that Gomez was leaving entertainment. That was not the full story. She continued recording, producing, acting, and making public appearances, but she no longer followed the nonstop schedule associated with her Disney years.
Her 2022 documentary, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, gave viewers a closer look at this period. The official Apple TV description says the film follows six years of her life after fame and personal struggles changed her direction.
Gomez has also spoken publicly about receiving a bipolar disorder diagnosis. At the 2024 TIME100 Summit, she explained that understanding the diagnosis made her feel better because it helped her make sense of what she had experienced.
How Rare Beauty Became More Than a Celebrity Brand
Gomez launched Rare Beauty in 2020. The company quickly became one of the strongest parts of her career.
The brand was not designed only to sell makeup. It also gave Gomez a way to connect her business with mental-health advocacy.
Rare Beauty directs 1% of its annual sales to the Rare Impact Fund, which supports access to mental-health services. Gomez told TIME that she did not want to enter the cosmetics industry without a mission. She called the company her “pride and joy.”
Rare Beauty expanded into more than 1,500 Ulta Beauty stores in the United States in February 2026. That growth showed that the company had developed far beyond a short-lived celebrity product line.
The unexpected part of Gomez's story is that her biggest reinvention did not require leaving entertainment. She created a second career while continuing her first one.
Her Acting Comeback Changed How Audiences Saw Her
Gomez found one of her strongest adult roles in Hulu's Only Murders in the Building. She plays Mabel Mora alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short while also serving as an executive producer.
The series introduced her to viewers who may never have watched her Disney work. It also brought major industry recognition.
The Television Academy lists an acting nomination for Gomez in 2024 and several Outstanding Comedy Series nominations connected to her producing work.
Her film career also gained new attention with Emilia Pérez. Gomez and co-stars Adriana Paz, Zoe Saldaña, and Karla Sofía Gascón shared the Best Actress award at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
She even returned to her Disney roots as an executive producer and guest star on Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. Rather than avoiding her early career, Gomez found a way to revisit it as an adult creator.
What Is Selena Gomez Doing Now?
As of September 2026, Gomez remains active across television, music, business, and advocacy.
She is returning as Mabel Mora in the sixth season of Only Murders in the Building. The new season moves the mystery to London and is scheduled to premiere on December 8, 2026, according to Disney's official announcement.
Her music career also continues. Gomez and Benny Blanco released the joint album I Said I Love You First in March 2025. The project mixed their relationship story with songs about insecurity, heartbreak, and her years in entertainment.
In July 2026, Gomez appeared with Blanco and Becky G on the single “Te Olvido (La La).”
Her personal life entered a new chapter as well. Gomez married Benny Blanco in September 2025 after announcing their engagement the previous year.
Rare Beauty remains an active part of her daily work, while the Rare Impact Fund continues supporting youth mental-health programs.
Selena Gomez Did Not Disappear
The answer to what happened to Selena Gomez is not a downfall or a quiet exit from Hollywood.
Her career became broader. She moved from child acting into pop music, producing, award-nominated television, beauty, and mental-health advocacy. Serious health problems changed her pace, but they did not end her public career.
The teenager audiences remember from Waverly Place is now a business founder, producer, acclaimed adult actor, recording artist, advocate, and wife. Her story is less about leaving the spotlight than learning how to use it differently.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Selena Gomez?
Selena Gomez faced lupus, received a kidney transplant, and publicly discussed her mental health. She remained professionally active and expanded into producing, acting, beauty, and advocacy.
Is Selena Gomez still acting?
Yes. She stars in and executive produces Only Murders in the Building. Its sixth season is scheduled to premiere in December 2026.
Is Selena Gomez still making music?
Yes. She released I Said I Love You First with Benny Blanco in 2025 and appeared on “Te Olvido (La La)” in 2026.
Is Selena Gomez married?
Yes. Selena Gomez and music producer Benny Blanco married in September 2025.