Pop icon Selena Gomez opens up about her relationship with former co-stars from Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place. The Rare Beauty owner played Alex Russo in the show, jumpstarting her acting profession in 2007.
Over the years, Gomez’s career has been fruitful and tumultuous at the same time. She released several albums, went on concert tours, and appeared in numerous films, such as A Cinderella Story (2008), Monte Carlo (2011), and The Fundamentals of Caring (2016). The multi-hyphenated star is now an entrepreneur and advocate of mental health.
RELATED: 10 Celebrities We Didn’t Know Had Dangerous Chronic Illnesses
Selena Gomez Reveals Her Greatest Regret After Wizards Of Waverly Place Exit
In the latest episode of PodCo’s Wizards of Waverly Pod, Selena Gomez admitted to her former co-stars Jennifer Stone and David DeLuise, why she stopped keeping in touch with them.
“I felt ashamed of the decisions that I made. I didn’t want you guys to see me in the state that I was in, because a. you would have told me the truth, which terrifies me, and b. I didn’t want to let you down.”
The 30-year-old actress revealed that “not staying in touch” after the show concluded in 2012 was the biggest regret of her life. DeLuise responded:
“That’s really sweet and thank you for saying that. We obviously… I miss you and I’m happy you’re doing well now.”
Stone also admitted that, at one point, she questioned herself and assumed it was her fault.
“I appreciate you saying that too because, to be perfectly blunt, there has been times where I’m like, ‘Did we stop being friends because I didn’t tell her what she wanted to hear? You know what I mean?’ So, I appreciate you being here.”
In the middle of an emotional exchange, Gomez showed her appreciation for Stone and DeLuise, and confessed that she loves them “in a way that I’ve never loved anybody else.” Gomez also shared that she felt safe and secure at the set of Wizards of Waverly Place.
“I think I felt safe and that’s a really hard thing for me to feel. I know you guys love me for me. You guys genuinely loved me, and that’s all I could have asked for. The unconditional trust and bond we had, I miss [it] so much.”
In October, Gomez shared a snap on Instagram reminiscing her time at Disney Channel. She took a photo at the Waverly Place sign and wrote the caption: “Where it all began.”
RELATED: Celebrity Power Couples That Broke Up & Left Us Hanging
Selena Gomez On Her Struggle With Lupus, Mental Health, And Charity Work
After Selena Gomez left the halls of Disney Channel, she went through a lot of phases that determined her resilience. She was very open about her mental health struggles and her fight with lupus, an autoimmune condition that causes chronic inflammation in several body parts.
In an interview with Elle, Gomez candidly explained everything that took a toll on her mental health:
“My lupus, my kidney transplant, chemotherapy, having a mental illness, going through very public heartbreaks — these were all things that honestly should have taken me down.”
Gomez released a documentary last year, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, which chronicled her journey into recovery and continuous battle with life’s greatest obstacles.
The actress also saw the opportunity to seek philanthropic work as a way to keep her going. In 2021, she has raised $360,000 for 23 nonprofit organizations through her HBO Max’s cooking show Selena + Chef. Her cosmetics line, Rare Beauty, aims to raise money for mental health services.
Source: PodCo’s Wizards of Waverly Pod, Elle
RELATED: ‘We’re a Little Dismayed’: Steve Martin Frustrated Over Selena Gomez Getting Snubbed at the Emmys
