Selena Gomez

One of the most popular new shows for kids on The Disney Channel is "Wizards of Waverly Place." This show hooks on to the Harry Potter theme by following a family who has supernatural powers. One of the actors on this show is 15-year-old Selena Gomez. Gomez is not new to acting. In fact, she got her start as a toddler in the Barney series. Here is a closer look at Gomez and what fans can expect out of her in the near future.

Her Acting Career

Selena Gomez was born on July 22, 1992 in New York. Her family moved to Grand Prairie, TX, where they still live. Her very first television appearance came in 2002 when she played in an episode of "Barney & Friends." After that, Selena got several smaller roles in shows such as an extra in "Spy Kids 3-D, Game Over" and "Walker, Texas Ranger." She also appeared in other Disney shows such as "The Suite Life of Zach and Cody," "Hannah Montana," and a few other television series. More recently, she did voice work as Helga in the new movie "Horton Hears a Who." She also sings and has been featured on the Disney Channel singing a song from 101 Dalmatians. (Reference: TV.com)

Being a Teenager

A typical teenager, Selena enjoys doing many of the same things other kids her age enjoy. She loves hanging out with her close friends, including her best friend, Demi Lovato, and Miley Cyrus. She loves eating typical teen food, too, and notes that she loves eating chocolate, such as Snicker bars and Good & Plenty candy. She also enjoys her favorite food pizza with cheese, mushrooms, and jalapeno toppings. Like any teen, Selena admits to having crushes on stars, too. Her favorite actors are Johnny Depp, Ryan Gosling, and Shia LeBeouf. Her favorite bands are Paramore, Jonas Brothers, and Christina Aguilera. (Reference: Internet Movie Data Base)

At Home

In her spare time, Selena enjoys cheerleading, skateboarding, acting, surfing, singing, and dancing. She has said before that she got interested in acting because her mother was involved with local theater in Dallas. She got her start when attending an open casting call for the Barney show and after two years, her acting career took off. When she is at home with her mother and step-dad, she likes playing with her four dogs. (Reference: Internet Movie Data Base).