Selena Gomez Can’t Wait for a Director to See What She’s Capable of

For a while, it seemed like Selena Gomez was putting the majority of her attention on her music career. After parting ways with her band (Selena Gomez & The Scene), Gomez became a wildly popular pop artist. And while Gomez has teased that she’s currently working on new music for her fans, she seems to be focusing on her first love, acting, as of late. The actor has been doing promotion for Only Murders in the Building Season 2 and is excited for season 3.

Selena Gomez began her acting career at a very young age

A child star, Gomez had a stint on Barney & Friends before getting swept up in the Disney machine. Her portrayal of sarcastic teen, Alex Russo, on Wizards of Waverly Place earned her the favor of many young fans. And while the 30-year-old has done some grown-up films following her Disney tenure (e.g. Spring Breakers), most of her acting work has been family-friendly.

Gomez has been creative about trying to shed some of her Disney skin. She’s produced projects like 13 Reasons Why and Living Undocumented. But despite that, Gomez admits that it’s been a challenge for her to land or even be considered for the acting roles that she desperately craves. In an interview with Vogue, the Selena + Chef star revealed that despite everything she’s already accomplished in her career, she’s still reaching for more.

“I haven’t even touched the surface of what I want to do,” Gomez shared. “The parts that I want are the ones I need help with. I can’t wait for the moment when a director can see that I’m capable of doing something that no one’s ever seen.”

The ‘Birthday’ singer was thrilled to join the ‘Only Murders in the Building’ cast

Of course, things shifted a bit when Gomez was cast in Only Murders in the Building. Portraying Mabel Mora meant that she was able to make her return to the small screen. Not only does she play an adult, but she also gets the opportunity to act opposite comedic greats Martin Short and Steve Martin. Though the trio may seem like an odd pairing, their chemistry on screen is undeniable.

Both Martin and Short have been very complimentary about Gomez as an actor and as a person. And while the Rare Beauty founder has been championed for her work on the show, she did face some skepticism when her casting was initially announced. In an interview for Awards Chatter, the multimillionaire shared that while those doubts were a bit exasperating, she’s able to push past them.

“You have no idea when people are like, ‘Yeah, when you were on the show, I was like whoa, that’s going to be weird, I don’t know about that,’” Gomez shared. “Steve will get super defensive of me, and it’s really sweet. Yeah, I get frustrated when people say that. If anything, it’s just another challenge that I’ll get to beat.”

Gomez is still working toward the acting career of her dreams

But even after the success of Only Murders in the Building, Gomez still isn’t in super high demand. Furthermore, many people believe the actor was snubbed by the Television Academy. Unlike Martin and Short, the former Disney darling didn’t receive an Emmy nomination for her acting in the show. However, Gomez seems to be taking it all in stride.

“But I gotta be honest, after I did Only Murders, I’m not getting a lot of demanding phone calls,” Gomez revealed. “But again, I am so grateful because everything that I’ve done, I’ve earned and I’ve worked really hard for. And I would never replace that for the world.”