In an interview with the New York Times, Selena Gomez dishes on her latest project, the upcoming Netflix original “13 Reasons Why,” and what inspired her to produce the series. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, check out the teaser she posted to Instagram below.
It turns out that Gomez’s own experiences with bullying are what originally inspired her to acquire the rights to the story and adapt it for the small screen, with her mother co-producing alongside her. She told the Times, “I knew what it meant to be bullied. I went to the biggest high school in the world, which is the Disney Channel. And my mom had a lot of history dealing with [bullying].”
She also mentions her hot-and-cold relationship with Instagram comments, explaining that she tends to fixate on the negative comments. “I delete the app from my phone at least once a week,” she said, continuing, “It’s like they want to cut to your soul. Imagine all the insecurities that you already feel about yourself and having someone write a paragraph pointing out every little thing — even if it’s just physical.”
““I knew what it meant to be bullied. I went to the biggest high school in the world, which is the Disney Channel."”
- Selena Gomez to The New York Times
Gomez wants to pivot her career to focus even more on larger issues and “projects that have value, that really matter.” As many Selenators probably already know, Gomez’s Disney background makes the transition to more serious work rather challenging, but she’s doing her best to move forward.
“I think I look really young and image-wise, it’s difficult for people to grasp. But early on, my mom taught me that sometimes you just have to create those projects for yourself,” she explained. “That’s what I want this to be: a launching pad.”
Well, we don’t need any further convincing. Our calendars are already marked for the Netflix premiere of “13 Reasons Why” on March 31.
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