We've almost literally watched Selena Gomez grow up before our eyes.
First gaining attention at the age of 10 as part of the ever popular children's series Barney and Friends, she would then gain stardom as a series regular on the Disney Channel series The Wizards of Waverly Place, leading to a successful music and acting career, including the current hit Hulu series Only Murders in the Building.
Needless to say, living in the spotlight often leads to an unfortunate amount of public scrutiny, and the now 34-year-old Gomez has had to deal with more than her fair share of internet trolling over her frequently changing appearance.
The multi-talented star did poke a bit of fun at her changing appearance as part of the recent "2026 is the new 2016" internet trend through her cosmetics company, Rare Beauty.
However, in a recent interview with People, however, Gomez admitted that the comparisons of her current physical appearance to her past appearance also brought up some harsh realities:
- YouTubeyoutu.be
While Gomez admitted to enjoying the throwback photos of her younger self in 2016, she also claimed that the comparisons of her past and present resulted in some "intense" responses from her fan base.
Gomez suggested that the public preferred the way she looked when she was a decade or more younger, a time she described as a "hectic" period of her life because of the amount of effort she put into her physical appearance.
Openly admitting that she guessed her fans and the press wished her appearance never changed, she disclosed she was happy "chilling" today, and people better get used to her current appearance, as her past appearance is, indeed, a thing of the past.
Viewers of the interview on Reddit were struck by Gomez's frank admission.
Some felt her remarks were a sobering indication of the price of fame, particularly for women, while others had a bit more trouble sympathizing, feeling Gomez's change in appearance had nothing to do with aging:
"Honestly, I have been very grossed out by how many posts I see commenting on her appearance. People shocked she got plastic surgery as if people did not spend years criticizing the impact lupus had on her face. People bash women constantly and then wonder why they get plastic surgery." —stickbugszz
"Wouldn't most of us love to look like our 2016 selves? I mean not ALL of us would, but many of us would except 2016 was a sh*tty year. Can we go back further please? Like 2008 or 2012?" —RogerClyneIsAGod2
"Girl they just miss the pre face lift era." —zenhoe
"Sure, but she’s had plastic surgery, Botox, fillers, whatever. I think people are just tired of all the unnecessary fake faces being the norm." —North_Country_Flower
"We don't need to freeze time when she is too busy freezing her whole face herself." —Sad-Fly-3445
"I really do feel for her and for Erin Moriarty when it comes to this sh*t." —Enelana
"Wouldn’t we all want to be frozen to our very hottest early 20s selves if we could be? I def looked the best I ever have that year. But I was also 26." —Decent-Statistician8
"She's not wrong. People rarely look the same as they do 10 years ago, and shouldn't be blamed for it." —JennaElizabethAdams
"Love this energy, I relate to it so much." —Ssspppaaaccceeesss
"People who complain about girls growing into women are telling on themselves." —Ejigantor
For all the attention aging has brought her, the lauded performer and noted activist, who was recognized with People's Beauty Impact Award, openly admitted to People that she has no fear of getting older, or what it might to do her body.
In fact, she has fully embraced aging, and everything that comes with it:
“Getting older has been so much fun. I’m not scared at all. I love getting older."
“Yeah, things are going to change and things are going to sag, but you’re alive... I think age is just a number in many ways.”
@KharayKrayKray/X
