Selena Gomez has always kept it real when speaking about her physical appearance, especially in the past year as she’s been faced with online trolls. In early 2023, the Only Murders in the Building star was photographed in a bikini during a vacation in Cabo, leading to some unfortunate body-shaming (but plenty of support as well). Gomez referenced those pics again as she shared before-and-after shots of herself on social media and commented on how her body has changed over the years.
The former Disney star shared a couple of images in her Instagram Stories recently — one of her in a black and white bikini in Cabo last year, and another swimsuit pic from years earlier — that show how her weight has fluctuated over time. She wrote on the separate photos:
Today I realized I will never look like this again. I’m not perfect but I am proud to be who I am. … Sometimes I forget it’s OK to be me.
Everybody sees changes to their body as they get older, and it’s so relatable for her to look back at older pics and lament the fact that those more youthful days are behind her. But I love that she also shows herself and her body love, acknowledging that she’s proud of who she is, and saying it’s OK that she may never again look the way she did in this 2011 shot from Maui:
Selena Gomez has spoken out several times against body-shaming, even assuring fans that she doesn’t "let these things get [her] down” after many thought Hailey Bieber shaded her on TikTok over the Cabo photos. The rekindled drama between her and Justin Bieber’s wife, however, escalated with more presumed commentary over her physical appearance via “Eyebrowgate,” leading Gomez to step away from social media temporarily. In a message to fans at the time, she said she loves the way she is but she’s too old for the drama.
She also provided critics with an explanation of her weight gain, explaining (via Page Six) that her lupus medication causes her to hold a lot of water weight. As unfortunate as it is that she felt the need to justify any changes in her body, it’s great that she always seems to be so candid about it, including this viral TikTok from 2022:
@selenagomez Vaca self
♬ original sound - unwinewithtashak
I’m sure everyone can relate to the self-esteem issues that accompany changes in our bodies, and it’s always refreshing to hear celebrities address the issue so openly. It also doesn’t hurt that she continues to show off her confidence in gowns like her eye-catching look at the Emmy Awards!
Selena Gomez isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, either, as the actress has a number of projects in the works. It was announced this month that she’ll be portraying musician Linda Ronstadt in a biopic, and she’ll also reprise her role as Alex Russo in a guest-starring role on the upcoming Wizards of Waverly Place reboot. That is, of course, in addition to Season 4 of Only Murders in the Building, although it hasn’t been announced when that will return to Hulu subscription holders. In the meantime, take a peek at our 2024 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming up.
