Claim: Selena Gomez is a professional actress.

Selena Marie Gomez -LRB- -LSB- səˈliːnə_məˈɹiː_ˈɡoʊmɛz -RSB- ; -LSB- seˈlena ˈɣomes -RSB- ; born July 22 , 1992 -RRB- is an American actress and singer . Having appeared in the children 's television series Barney & Friends while growing up , she rose to fame playing the role of Alex Russo on the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place -LRB- 2007 -- 2012 -RRB- .   In 2008 , she signed a recording contract with Hollywood Records and formed her band Selena Gomez & the Scene . The band released three studio albums and produced four top 30 singles by 2011 . Gomez also formed her own production company in 2008 , July Moon Productions ; she serves as an executive producer on the Netflix original series 13 Reasons Why , which released in March 2017 .   Between 2009 and 2011 , Gomez starred in films such as Princess Protection Program , Ramona and Beezus , and Monte Carlo , and took on a more mature role in Spring Breakers -LRB- 2013 -RRB- . Gomez also took her singing career in a different direction , with the release of her first solo album Stars Dance -LRB- 2013 -RRB- ; the album debuted atop the Billboard 200 in the United States and included the top ten single `` Come & Get It . '' Gomez released a compilation album in 2014 as her fifth and final release through Hollywood Records , which was preceded by her second top ten single `` The Heart Wants What It Wants '' , and signed a new recording contract with Interscope Records .   In 2015 , she released her second solo album , Revival , which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 , while the first three singles , `` Good for You , '' `` Same Old Love , '' and `` Hands to Myself , '' all topped the Mainstream Top 40 chart in the United States . Gomez has also starred in the films The Fundamentals of Caring -LRB- 2016 -RRB- , In Dubious Battle -LRB- 2016 -RRB- , and in the Hotel Transylvania films .   Since the start of her singing career , she has gone on to sell over 7 million albums and 22 million singles worldwide , according to Billboard . Gomez has earned a number of awards and nominations for her work as an actress and singer , and has won a Billboard Women in Music award , an MTV Video Music Award , an American Music Award , and fifteen Teen Choice Awards . As of November 2016 , Gomez is the most-followed Instagram user in the world .