Selena Gomez is among the ranks of former Disney stars who became household names, and she grew up before our eyes, starting with The Wizards of Waverly Place (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription). While nowadays she's known for being an Emmy-nominated actress for her work on Only Murders in the Building, she's got a long history as a pop star. Folks have been sharing throwbacks of her from 2016 lately, and the "Calm Down" singer explained why she's not a fan of them.
Only Murders in the Building is currently on hiatus between seasons for those with a Hulu subscription, but that hasn't stopped Gomez from making headlines. During a conversation with People, she spoke about how her 2016 smoky eye has recently gone viral, responding with:
That cracks me up. I’ve got to be honest, the 2016 throwbacks are fun but I think people want to freeze me in time to that period of my life. It was such a hectic period, and of course I had to rock a smoky eye. I was trying to be cool! It was probably more interesting because I’m now chilling, which is great.
Honestly, I see her point. While Selena Gomez has established herself as a grown actor and pop star, some fans still reference her work from years earlier. Since the 2016 smoky-eye moment happened a decade ago, she doesn't want the public to expect her to look the same. I mean, who hasn't aged in ten years?
Most of us don't look the same after a decade, and the "Love You Like A Love Song" singer has had a number of health issues that also may have impacted her appearance when compared to her younger self. Gomez had kidney surgery back in 2017 and has been open about her struggles with lupus in recent years. All things considered, who can blame her for not wanting to be compared to her younger self?
Unfortunately, this isn't the first time that her appearance has come up via the internet. In 2024, Gomez clapped back at folks claiming she got plastic surgery on her face. That same year, Selena also spoke publicly about her fluctuating weight, and the unrealistic expectation that she should look the same as she did when she was 19. Given all of this context, it makes sense that the singer/actress going viral for her makeup a decade ago would be less than ideal.
Gomez has largely been keeping busy as an actress lately, reprising her role as Alex in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place in addition to her starring role in Only Murders in the Building. She's also attached to a number of film projects outside of the 2026 movie release list, including a Linda Ronstadt biopic. Hopefully folks stop comparing her to her younger self soon.
