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Read Selena Gomez’s Emotional Speech at the American Music Awards

Selena Gomez spoke Sunday at the American Music Awards , using her first public appearance since she took a break from her career to focus on her mental health to deliver an emotional message to critics and fans alike. She won the award for Favorite Female Artist — Pop/Rock.

Read her full remarks below, via our partners at Entertainment Weekly :

“In 2014 this stage was actually the first time that I was authentically, 100 percent honest with all of you. I think it’s safe to say that all of you know my life whether I like it or not. I had to stop because I had everything and I was absolutely broken inside. I kept it all together enough to where I would never let you down but I kept it too much together to where I let myself down. I don’t want to see your bodies on Instagram. I want to see what’s in here [holds chest]. I’m not trying to get validation nor do I need it anymore. All I can say from the bottom of my heart is I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to be able to share what I love every single day with people that I love. I have to say thank you so much to my fans because you guys are so damn loyal and I don’t know what I did to deserve you. If you are broken you do not have to stay broken. If that’s anything whether you respect me or not that’s one thing you should know about me. I care about people. Thank you so much for this. This is for you.”

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Selena Gomez and Rema Give Heartfelt Speeches After Their VMAs Win, and Taylor Swift Was Their #1 Fan

The support in this audience. ❤️

Selena Gomez and Rema have won a 2023 MTV Video Music Award ! The duo was honored with some shiny hardware at the VMAs for their work on “Calm Down,” taking home the award for Best Afrobeats.

It was a high honor in a competitive category, and both Rema and Selena expressed great thanks to everyone who helped make it happen.

The duo was clearly thrilled with their win, but the most excited person in the room may have actually been Selena’s close friend Taylor Swift , who stood and cheered them on while mouthing “I love you” to Sel.

Before their VMAs win, Rema had this to say about working on the song: “‘Calm Down’ is about the events that led me to finding love at the time,” Rema told Pitchfork about the song. “It started at a party where I saw a girl who stood out from other girls, so I felt like shooting my shot. We spoke and danced...but her friends didn’t let me get any closer, which killed the vibe, but afterward when they weren’t there, we stayed in touch and hit it off.”

BRB, streaming “Calm Down” immediately.

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Selena gomez gives emotional speech at american music awards: ‘i don’t need validation anymore’.

Choking back tears as she delivered her heartfelt speech, Gomez sent hope to those who have gone through the same struggles she has in the past couple of years.

By Taylor Weatherby, Billboard

Taylor Weatherby, Billboard

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Selena Gomez ‘s break from the spotlight came to an end on Nov. 20, when she accepted the American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist  —  but she made sure to address her personal struggles in front of millions.

“In 2014, this stage was actually the first time that I was authentically 100 percent honest with you,” she started her speech, referencing her heart-wrenching AMAs performance of “The Heart Wants What It Wants.” 

Related Stories

American music awards: the complete winners list.

“I think it’s safe to say that a lot of you know a lot of my life whether I liked it or not and I had to stop. Because I had everything, and I was absolutely broken. And I kept it together and I swore I would never let you down, but I kept it too much together to where I let myself down.” Gomez continued, “I’m not trying to get validation, nor do I need it anymore.”

Choking back tears as she delivered her heartfelt speech, Gomez sent hope to those who have gone through the same struggles she has in the past couple of years. “If you are broken, you don’t have to stay broken.”

American Music Awards: Red Carpet Photos

This story first appeared on Billboard.com.

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AMAs 2016: Selena Gomez gives emotional speech

'I was absolutely broken inside,' she said

At Sunday’s American Music Awards, Selena Gomez made her first public appearance since taking a career break to focus on her emotional health. After appearing on the red carpet , Gomez was awarded a trophy for Favorite Female Artist — Pop/ Rock and used her acceptance speech to send an emotional message to fans and critics.

“I think it’s safe to say that all of you know my life whether I like it or not,” she said. “I had to stop because I had everything and I was absolutely broken inside. I kept it all together enough to where I would never let you down but I kept it too much together to where I let myself down.”

She continued: “I don’t want to see your bodies on Instagram. I want to see what’s in here [holds chest]. I’m not trying to get validation nor do I need it anymore.” Gomez then thanked fans for staying “loyal” to her during her break. “If you are broken, you do not have to stay broken,” she said, near tears.

When Gomez announced her break in August, she told PEOPLE : “As many of you know, around a year ago I revealed that I have lupus, an illness that can affect people in different ways. I’ve discovered that anxiety, panic attacks and depression can be side effects of lupus, which can present their own challenges.”

She then said she was taking “time off” to be “proactive and focus on maintaining my health and happiness.” The break followed the release of her 2015 album Revival and subsequent tour .

Read the full transcript of her speech:

“In 2014 this stage was actually the first time that I was authentically, 100 percent honest with all of you. I think it’s safe to say that all of you know my life whether I like it or not. I had to stop because I had everything and I was absolutely broken inside. I kept it all together enough to where I would never let you down but I kept it too much together to where I let myself down. I don’t want to see your bodies on Instagram. I want to see what’s in here [holds chest]. I’m not trying to get validation nor do I need it anymore. All I can say from the bottom of my heart is I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to be able to share what I love every single day with people that I love. I have to say thank you so much to my fans because you guys are so damn loyal and I don’t know what I did to deserve you. If you are broken you do not have to stay broken. If that’s anything whether you respect me or not that’s one thing you should know about me. I care about people. Thank you so much for this. This is for you.”

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Selena Gomez Gives Moving Speech About Living with Depression, Anxiety

At the American Music Awards Sunday night Selena Gomez gave a deeply personal speech about living with mental health issues, and she brought the crowd to its feet for applause and drew praise on social media.

Congrats, @selenagomez ! Here she is with a sweet message when accepting the #AMAs for Favorite Female Artist- Pop/Rock! pic.twitter.com/JCeE9IijDU — AMAs (@AMAs) November 21, 2016

While accepting the the American Music Award for Favorite Female Pop/Rock Artist, Gomez, who lives with an autoimmune disease called lupus, highlighted her struggle with depression and anxiety.

"I think it's safe to say that most of you know a lot of my life whether I liked it or not, and I had to stop, 'cause I had everything, and I was absolutely broken inside. And I kept it all together to where I never let you down. But I kept it too much together where I let myself down," said Gomez, 24.

Gomez, who is of mixed Mexican and Italian heritage, recently took herself off social media and out of the spotlight to treat her depression and anxiety.

Selena Gomez. The Queen of standing up for herself. I'm so happy she won you guys. She deserved that! Her spirits are high tonight :) #AMAs — Danté D'Angelo (@etnaD_olegnaD) November 21, 2016

Wow...Those words..So honest. @selenagomez , you became an inspiration to me and thousands of others tonight #amas ️️ pic.twitter.com/m1821DxRoK — Danielle Bradbery (@DBradbery) November 21, 2016

Say what you want about Selena Gomez but you can't deny she has one of the biggest hearts in the whole industry — ️ (@jelengend) November 21, 2016

@camilacabello97 camren — gabriel (@arianaccount) November 21, 2016

"I don't want to see your bodies on Instagram. I want to see what's in here," she added, pointing to her heart. "And I have to say thank you so much to my fans because you guys are so damn loyal, and I don't know what I did to deserve you. If you are broken, you don't have to stay broken."

The camera pan showed artists such as Lady Gaga crying during the speech. Many of Gomez's fans took to social media to praise her honesty.

Follow NBC News Latino on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .

Brian Latimer is an Associate Segment Producer with MSNBC Weekends. 

Selena Gomez Speech: Trust Yourself

About this episode.

Learn English with Selena Gomez. Selena talks about her life and some of the hardships she's encountered in her career to a crowd of 16,000 youth at the first-ever We Day in California. She told the crowd to never ever give up on their dreams and to be confident in their goals. Selena Marie Gomez is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television producer. In this Speech, she also quotes: "Please stay true to yourself, please just remain who you are and know that we have each other’s back, all of us have each other’s back."

For more, visit: https://www.englishspeecheschannel.com

IN THIS EPISODE

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Selena Gomez Accepts ‘Woman of the Year’ at Billboard Women in Music 2017: ‘I Respect the Platform That I Have So Deeply’

Selena Gomez is honored with the 'Woman of the Year' award at Billboard Women in Music

By Denise Warner

Denise Warner

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Co-star Elle Fanning introduced Gomez at the ceremony. “It’s rare to find someone who uses their trials and tribulations to make everyone else stronger.”

“When we first met, we bonded immediately,” Raisa explained.  

“When I found out I was a match for Selena, I didn’t think twice about it,” she said of her kidney donation.  

Gomez almost immediately teared up after accepting the award from Raisa, saying she saved her life.  

Billboard 'Woman of the Year' Selena Gomez on Her Surgery & Saying 'No' to Industry Pressures: 'My…

“I feel incredibly lucky,” Gomez began. “Honestly, I couldn’t be more grateful for the position I’ve been given in my career.”

“I want people to know I respect the platform that I have so deeply,” Gomez said.

“Specifically this year, I would like to thank my amazing team and my family because they stuck with me through some really hard times,” Gomez continued. “I got to do a lot this year, even though I had a couple of other things to do.”

She then paid tribute to those who had come before her. “I’m so grateful for the older women who have lifted all of us up.”

After thanking Fanning and Raisa, Gomez added “I don’t know how I’ll ever repay it but maybe I’ll make an epic album next year.”

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• What Is Cinema?

Selena Gomez on Her Best Role Yet and Romance With Benny Blanco: “I’ve Never Been Loved This Way”

H er speaking voice is a famously soothing low hum. To say it’s unmistakable would be putting it mildly: You try going incognito sounding like Selena Gomez.

“Yeah, it doesn’t work,” she tells me. “Literally one time I was in line for something. I was fully in disguise, and I was talking to someone. I don’t even remember what I said. And then the woman in front of me goes, ‘My God, it is you! I thought I heard your voice!’ ” That was years ago. “I was like, oh God, what do I sound like to people? And then I also feel so silly once I get busted.”

Gomez has long since given up on wigs and hats as cloaking devices. In the 25 years since she debuted on Barney & Friends at the age of seven, she’s actually tried to let go of every kind of disguise and be the same person in public and private. It’s a gutsy endeavor for someone who, thanks to Instagram, has the slightly scary-sounding distinction of being the most followed woman on earth. For three years Gomez has been part of the delicious hit series Only Murders in the Building , and she’s just given the rawest performance of her career in the audacious movie musical Emilia Pérez . Gomez plays a Mexican drug lord’s terrified but wildly resourceful wife. When the movie hits theaters in November, her work will surprise the many, many people who didn’t know what a fiery actor she could be.

We first meet in Los Angeles at the makeup company she founded, Rare Beauty. It’s a slow, gray afternoon, but Rare Beauty is flush with positivity, from the product names (lipsticks in shades like Worthy and Strong, eye shadow sticks called Integrity and Well-Being) to the little slogans on the bathroom mirrors like, “Find comfort in being rare. ” It’s all completely in earnest, and the company’s products are seriously good, as are the rewards: Rare Beauty is reportedly worth $2 billion.

Gomez’s office is bathed in white, pink, and red—it’s a bouquet of a space. When I come in, she’s surrounded by the smiling California team that keeps her carefully calibrated days as a movie star, TV star, pop star, beauty executive, and mental health advocate on track. There’s a laptop on her desk, a script for Emilia Pérez, and a list of questions for a famous friend she “met through Taylor,” whom she’s interviewing for something later. There are personal mementos too, like family photos and a note from her 11-year-old sister, Gracie. “She’s funny,” Gomez says warmly. She picks up the note and reads it out loud: “Hi, sissy, I love you so much. The next time I’m here, can we do each other’s makeup and make a ‘get ready with me’ TikTok?”

This moment totally tracks, Gomez’s friend and Emilia Pérez costar Zoe Saldaña tells me later. “I don’t fit well in circles where people only want to talk about themselves. Selena’s not like that,” she says. “She’ll show you 300 pictures of her little sister and parents and grandparents.”

When Gomez’s team files out, she settles on a couch the color of mulled wine. She looks cozy and hale in a denim Free People jumpsuit and Ugg slippers. Her skin is aglow, her hair voluminous. She is, like some other stars of her magnitude, much more slight in person, her features writ delicate. Gomez redid Rare Beauty’s offices last year and shared a carousel of photos with her 425 million followers on Instagram. At the time of our interview, she’s taking a break from the app but hasn’t announced it to her fans—the Selenators—because she has a habit of dramatically announcing social media breaks, then logging back on less than 24 hours later to post a selfie or leave a comment somewhere. It’s one of her more aggressively relatable habits, this inability to resist the apps after boldly saying she’s done with them. “I learned not to say that anymore,” she deadpans. Right now, she’s trying to quietly enjoy her time in the analog world. “I’ve been loving it,” she says calmly. “I’ve been working out. I’ve been taking care of myself. It’s the first time I’ve had a break in a little bit. So I feel good.”

T here’s no shortage of things to feel good about. Gomez recently snagged an Emmy nomination for best actress in a comedy for Only Murders, her first-ever acting nod, despite working steadily for two decades. “I freaked out,” she says happily. “I went to dinner with my friends that night. Maybe [the voters] saw something in this past season that they hadn’t seen before.”

Gomez also became the most nominated Latina producer ever in the best comedy category, thanks to the series. She had no idea she was about to set a record. “When I heard that, I felt like I made my dad’s side of the family proud,” she says. “It was really cool to have that be a part of my story. I’m grateful for breaking barriers. Hopefully this is not a one-time thing.” Gomez’s father, Ricardo Joel Gomez, is Mexican American. He and her mother—the former actor Mandy Teefey, whom Gomez has credited with steering her through some daunting poverty early on and inspiring her career—named her after the Tejano icon Selena and raised her in Grand Prairie, Texas. “It’s empowering and it’s alleviating,” Saldaña says of seeing Gomez make history as a Latina. “When you meet her, you get the sense that she is owning her growth and owning her life and her voice. I’m grateful that our paths have crossed.”

The two of them met in Paris on the set of Emilia Pérez , a bold, heartfelt, and visually lush Spanish-language musical that’s about to have an eventful awards season of its own. The film was written and directed by Jacques Audiard. It stars Spanish actor Karla Sofía Gascón in the titular role, a brutal Mexican cartel leader who kidnaps a lawyer (Saldaña) to offer her a job: coordinating secret gender-confirmation surgery so the kingpin can transition and leave her old life behind. Gomez plays Jessi, Perez’s dormant volcano of a wife. She’s a lonely young woman and the mother of their two children who’s ferried from safe house to safe house in armored vehicles laden with security guards. As Emilia finds herself going down a different path in life, so does Jessi. She’s emboldened to break out of her shell—with all kinds of consequences.

Gomez calls Emilia Pérez a “fever dream,” but it’s not as wild a leap for her as it may appear. She’s long pursued supporting roles in unconventional, sometimes risqué work by auteurs, like Harmony Korine’s endlessly zeitgeist-y Spring Breakers or Jim Jarmusch’s zombie comedy The Dead Don’t Die. “That’s intentional,” she tells me. “I’d rather be a supporting role. I’d rather have four scenes in a Martin Scorsese film than be a lead in a movie about a tomboy that comes into her own and falls in love with the boy next door. Love those movies, totally watch those movies—but that’s not something I’m necessarily interested in.”

Audiard admits he was only faintly familiar with Gomez, having seen her in Spring Breakers and the Woody Allen film A Rainy Day in New York. But when she auditioned for Emilia Pérez, he knew very quickly that he wanted to hire her. As for Gascón, she was extremely familiar with Gomez, not least because she has a 13-year-old daughter who’s a superfan. “There’s something very special about her,” Gascón says of Gomez. Needless to say, her daughter was excited about the project: “She told me, ‘You better treat her well!’ ”

Gomez says she signed on to Emilia Pérez largely because of Gascón, who plays the drug lord both before her transition and after, pulling off a riveting dual performance. “She actually carried the whole film, and we followed her lead when it came to anything sensitive,” Gomez says. “She challenged me. In some of our scenes, she wasn’t afraid to get in my face. And I loved it because I had to match that energy.”

Both Gascón and Saldaña offered their services if Gomez ever needed help with the dialogue. The film is almost entirely in Spanish, and while they’re native speakers, Gomez herself is not. “Speaking it is not too terrible for me, but I’m not fluent. I would say that I’m okay. ” She grew up speaking Spanish but lost fluency around the time she turned seven and that purple dinosaur came into her life: “I got my first job, and everything was English-dominated.”

The musical part of Emilia Pérez came easier. Gomez dove into the singing and the often intense choreography, which meant tapping back into her pop persona. “I can sing Spanish really well,” she says, having released several songs in Spanish, including the 2021 EP Revelación. She enjoyed recording the songs for this film, which were written by French singer and lyricist Camille with Clément Ducol, but wants fans to know she doesn’t have plans to release any new music of her own at the moment. “I don’t know if I’m ready, you know?” she says. “It’s a vulnerable space. Acting has always been my first love. Music is just a hobby that went out of control. Now it is a part of who I am, so I don’t think I’m going anywhere. I’m just not ready yet.”

S he’s still keeping tabs on the pop landscape. Gomez got a kick out of Charli XCX’s Brat —particularly the bonus track, “Spring Breakers,” naturally—and she’s going to see shows whenever she can. “I love female artists,” she says. “I’ve been to all the girls’ concerts—Billie, Dua….” And of course, she can always pick up the phone and call Taylor Swift, a longtime friend . “She is really like a big sister to me,” she says. They talk about the industry from time to time, with Gomez seeking advice on music or how to navigate new friendships at their respective levels of fame. More often than not, though, they’re just gossiping about the things that all friends gossip about and comparing notes on the latest season of Vanderpump Rules. “I’m on The Valley now,” Gomez says, referring to the latest—and deeply haunted—spin-off of the Bravo reality series. “I’ve watched every episode of Vanderpump, so I don’t care if it’s bad!”

Whenever she is ready to record her own music again, Gomez also has a direct line to one of pop music’s most prolific producers: Benny Blanco. The two collaborated on the 2015 hit “Same Old Love” and the slinky 2019 track “I Can’t Get Enough,” featuring Tainy and J Balvin. In the music video for the latter song, Gomez wears silky pajamas and dances on an oversized bed; Blanco dances alongside her in a giant teddy bear suit. The two were just friends at the time, but things took a turn for the romantic in July 2023. At first, the pair were relatively low-key, but they’ve since elevated to full-tilt public adoration, sharing mushy Instagram photos and captions of one another. In his most recent public display of affection, Blanco shared a tender throwback photo of him and Gomez on the “I Can’t Get Enough” set: “i used to play a teddy bear in ur music video and now i get to b urs in real life….”

Though they’ve worked together for years, fans seemed surprised that the two were dating, partly because Gomez is laid-back while Blanco, who produced hits like Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” and Rihanna’s “Diamonds,” is a world-class yapper. Whatever the connection is—his brash, enthusiastic openness paired with her dry humor—it clearly works. “I’ve never been loved this way,” Gomez tells me. “He’s just been a light. A complete light in my life. He’s my best friend. I love telling him everything.” In May, Howard Stern told Blanco that he hoped the two of them would get married . “You and me both,” Blanco replied. Gomez smiles at the thought of Blanco saying it so bluntly and openly. “He can’t lie,” she says. “After the interview, I was dying laughing. Like, ‘Anything else you wanted to put out there?’ ”

Engagement rumors were flying as this story went to press, but to be clear, marriage isn’t an institution that Gomez ever wanted to rush into. Her mother gave birth to her when she was 16, and her parents were only married for a few years. “It was hard on me,” she says. “They were kids, so we were all growing up together.”

Even before she began dating Blanco, though, Gomez had a firm plan in place to start a family by the age of 35. “Before I met my boyfriend, I was single for five years, with the exception of going on a few dates,” she says. “And I was like, ‘Okay, if this is the vibe, then what is the most important thing to me? Family.’ ” In the past Gomez has said she would be open to adopting children, partly inspired by the fact that her mother was adopted. If she hadn’t been, “I probably wouldn’t be here. I don’t know what her life would’ve been like. She and I are very thankful for how life played out.”

The theme of family pops up again and again during our conversation. Gomez is a godmother to her cousin Priscilla’s two children, so she gets a front-row seat to the wonderful and sometimes brutal experience of being a parent. “She keeps it real,” Gomez says of her cousin’s candor. She’s speaking excitedly about this, then briefly pauses. All this talk of motherhood: It’s reminding her of something that’s been weighing on her. “I haven’t ever said this,” she says, “but I unfortunately can’t carry my own children. I have a lot of medical issues that would put my life and the baby’s in jeopardy. That was something I had to grieve for a while.”

Gomez communicates this calmly and without sentimentality. “It’s not necessarily the way I envisioned it,” she says of becoming a parent one day. “I thought it would happen the way it happens for everyone. [But] I’m in a much better place with that. I find it a blessing that there are wonderful people willing to do surrogacy or adoption, which are both huge possibilities for me. It made me really thankful for the other outlets for people who are dying to be moms. I’m one of those people. I’m excited for what that journey will look like, but it’ll look a little different. At the end of the day, I don’t care. It’ll be mine. It’ll be my baby.”

Her family isn’t pressuring her into marriage, by the way, nor is she pressuring Blanco. “We always make sure we’re protecting what we have, but there’s no rules,” she says. “I want him to always be himself. I always want to be myself.”

She means that in another way too: “I’m not changing my name no matter what. I am Selena Gomez. That’s it.”

G omez has been managing not just her personal life in full public view for years, but her health as well—particularly since 2013, when she was diagnosed with lupus. She first spoke about her diagnosis in an interview with Billboard in 2015, sharing that she underwent chemotherapy to treat the chronic autoimmune illness, which causes the body’s immune system to attack healthy tissue and can cause inflammation and affect internal organs. Gomez was on her first solo tour, Stars Dance, when she was diagnosed, and had gotten through nearly 60 shows before she had to cancel the rest and get treatment.

In 2017 Gomez revealed on Instagram that she had gotten a kidney transplant, sharing a photo of herself and close friend actor Francia Raísa, who donated the vital organ. “There aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa,” Gomez wrote in her caption. “She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis.” The post was surprising and frank. It included photos of Gomez and Raísa on hospital beds holding hands, as well as close-ups of Gomez’s postsurgery scar. The news went viral to such an extent that people who couldn’t name a Selena Gomez album suddenly had thoughts about her kidney. Later, the news that Gomez and Raísa’s friendship had been badly fractured by hurt feelings went viral too—just one example of what it means to be the most followed woman in the world. Late last year the pair did the necessary repair work and are friends once more.

While Gomez was dealing with lupus, she was also contending with serious mental health struggles, which got a close-up in the shattering 2022 documentary My Mind & Me . The movie—directed by Alek Keshishian, who made the legendary Madonna: Truth or Dare —was originally meant to be a fun, artful way to capture Gomez’s 2016 Revival tour, but it quickly morphed as she began struggling with panic attacks, anxiety, and debilitating depression. “At one point, she’s like, ‘I don’t want to be alive right now,’ ” her former assistant, Theresa Marie Mingus, says in the documentary. “ ‘I don’t want to live.’ It was one of those moments where you look in her eyes and there’s nothing there. It was just pitch black.”

Gomez later attributed the devastation to the side effects of lupus. Shortly thereafter she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder as well. The tour was canceled, but her mental health did not improve and she suffered a breakdown in 2018. My Mind & Me is such a revealing document of pain that Gomez says she got cold feet a few weeks before it was set to be released. “I asked my team if it was possible to pull out,” she tells me. “Lawyers got involved, but we never took it to Apple because everything was locked.… When the movie came out, I didn’t look at anything for a few days, and then I was scared to leave the house.” She was paralyzed by the thought of the movie being out in the world but found her footing again, partly because fans facing similar battles shared their stories with her. “I just started to embrace it,” she says, “and I felt like it was a really good thing.”

“ However, ” she continues, determined to add a postscript, “I like to remind people that that is definitely nowhere close to where I am now. My mind was not right and chemically imbalanced, and it was really difficult. People were calling me a victim. That frustrates me, because being vulnerable is actually one of the strongest things you can do. That narrative is not going to take over my life. I’m grateful every day. And I have my days like everyone else, but I’m no victim. I just survived a lot. There isn’t a part of me that wants anyone to feel sorry for me.”

Gomez is still on a journey with her mental health but now has tools and protocols to take care of herself. She loves using temperature as a healing mechanism and finds cold water or space heaters to be soothing at different times. She’ll also do a mental exercise that’s hugely helpful: “I remind myself that I’m okay. I ground myself for a moment. ‘Where am I? I’m sitting down in the office. Everybody that I love is out there. There’s food. I can get something to eat. I can take a nap here before I leave.’ I put myself into the present.”

“I’m ready for it all—it’s just now I’m properly medicated,” she adds with a laugh.

Gomez donates a portion of sales from all Rare Beauty products to the Rare Impact Fund, a philanthropic hub that aims to raise $100 million for organizations dedicated to educating young people around the world about mental health and getting them services. The fund has raised $15 million since its launch. “Only around 2 percent of global health funding has historically gone to mental health,” says Elyse Cohen, the president of the fund and an executive vice president of Rare Beauty. “And currently just about 0.5 percent of philanthropic funding is given to mental health. When you think about the prevalence of this issue and how low the mobilization of funding is, there’s just such a severe gap. For us, it’s really about making a difference in the space.”

“I know it seems impossible,” Gomez says of the staggering $100 million goal, “but it’s important to me because it’s a crisis. There are a lot of people from every part of the world dealing with so much who are not properly educated on it and don’t know where to go. I want it to be accessible. There’s Planned Parenthood—that’s a resource for women. I wish we had a version of that for mental health. It would be so powerful if someone was—not to be too heavy but—to try to take their life and then decided to go to a Planned Parenthood [type of facility] that was free. I have big dreams for what I would like to see.”

T he next time I speak to Gomez, it’s at the tail end of July, just after her 32nd birthday and her dual Emmy nods. She’s preparing for life to get intense again, with promotion duties for both Emilia Pérez and the upcoming season of Only Murders in the Building. The Emmy-winning series is now on its fourth season on Hulu, but the unlikely trio of amateur murder sleuths—Steve Martin and Martin Short as overly dramatic older men and Gomez as their sarcastic young neighbor—remain supernaturally funny. Short has said he was nervous about meeting Gomez, expecting an unapproachable diva. Instead, he and Martin met a disarming woman excited to work with them and able to hold her own in their esteemed company.

I talked to Martin and Short about Gomez on a joint Zoom call, and if you’ve never seen Only Murders, this will give you a pretty good idea of the vibe.

“I thought she was very smart,” says Martin. “I hadn’t really seen her act. I didn’t know her shows. But, you know, Marty and I tend to overact, that’s kind of our comedic style—”

“Hold on, hold on!” Short says, interrupting.

“I meant that as a compliment,” Martin replies.

“Oh, I see. Keep going,” Short says.

“Somebody else might think, Oh, I have to compete with that, so I better be really, really funny too,” Martin continues. “But she didn’t go there in any way. Her point in the triangle was perfectly leveled. She is really good. Her energy and tone—”

“What do you think when it comes to me?” Short says.

On and on they go, shooting jokes back and forth.

Gomez laughs when I tell her about the conversation later. “It’s a blast, isn’t it?” she says. “It’s like the show! They’ve changed my life and perspective on tons of things.” She’s become comfortable getting in on the jokes, butting in to land some punch lines of her own. “Marty and I have a riff we just do naturally, which is to deeply insult each other,” Martin says. “Selena was very polite for the first year, and then the second year she started to get into it and give as good as she got.”

Gomez is particularly excited about the fourth season because of the show’s meta quality. It follows the trio from New York to Los Angeles after a Hollywood executive decides to turn their story into a film. (Eva Longoria plays Selena’s character, Mabel, to hilarious effect.) The fourth season also sees the return of Meryl Streep as Loretta, a working actor who is starting to make a name for herself.

It’s funny to think that—though Gomez is far younger than her costars—she’s already an industry veteran herself, having worked for 25 years. Only Murders feels like the balancing force she needed after forging through the last few years in particular. She clearly feels balanced in other ways too, which allows her to handle all the work required to be everything she is. “It’s as simple as this,” she tells me. “I don’t want people to ever think I’m not grateful for what I have.”

Hair by Orlando Pita. Makeup by Hung Vanngo. Manicure by Tom Bachik. Tailors, Hasmik Kourinian and Susie Kourinian. Set design by Robert Doran. Produced on location by Viewfinders. For details, go to VF.com/credits .

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Selena Gomez Speech: Trust yourself

Home / English Speeches / Selena Gomez Speech: Trust yourself

Watch this famous Selena Gomez Speech. Selena talks about her life and some of the hardships she’s encountered in her career to a crowd of 16,000 youth at the first-ever We Day in California. She told the crowd to never ever give up on their dreams, and to be confident in their goals. Selena Marie Gomez is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television producer. Enjoy our Speeches with subtitles and keep your English learning journey.

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Selena Gomez Quote:

“Always be yourself, there’s no one better!” Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez full TRANSCRIPT:

Hi, guys, how are you? So good to see you guys, so you guys having a good night? I have to say that it’s such an honour to be here, it is, I’m so happy to be here, I’m like a nerd and brought my own speech but I hope it’s OK that I take this opportunity to really just spend with you guys and tell you a little bit about my story. I’m not an activist, I haven’t changed the world or led a campaign, I’m here to just tell you my path, so that you hopefully can take something away from it, because I don’t like being honest with — this is a truth — I don’t like being honest with press and interviews, I like being honest with you, directly, which is each and every one of you. Because I feel like I can and I’m just going to start with the basics, so I’m 21 and my mom had, my mom had me when she was 16. And I’m from Grand Prairie, Texas, and she worked four jobs and completely dedicated her life into making mine better. So, to me, she is the definition of a strong woman. And I love her so much. Because she’s taught me those values so much. Thank you. I have been acting my entire life and I have known since I was first on Barney, you know that purple dinosaur, he’s great. You guys are so motivated, I feel like I can say anything! When I was eleven, the point being is that when I was seven I wanted to be an actress and I wanted to live my dream. And when I was eleven I had a casting director tell that I wasn’t strong enough to carry my own show. And I’m sure all of you have been told that you don’t have what it takes and you may not be good enough and you don’t have enough people supporting you and you’ve been told all of these things when deep down it’s all you want to do. You want to be a part of something great. You want to make something great. And it does more than not the wind out of you and crushes you when people try to tell you that you’re not good enough. And it almost did for me but there was my mom next to me stronger than ever and she said the most important thing is to always trust in myself. If I have, if I’m doing something because I love it, I should do it because I love it and I believe that I can do it. So she told me to keep going, thank you, she told me and she taught me to turn the other cheek and let the credits, the critics be critics, and let us just trust ourselves. So for me, thank you, two years later, I got my own show and the first thought, the first thought wasn’t oh man, that girl when I was eleven said that I wouldn’t carry my own show and I did, I mean, I thought about that for a little bit, but I thought about what my mom said. My mom is like you have to trust yourself and I realized that if I didn’t believe that I could do it, I wouldn’t be able to be here. And I have, I’m going to say I live a very blessed life, I have so much to be thankful for and a lot of you are big part of inspiring me because I don’t think you get it and maybe you’re not old enough, but you inspire me to be better and we should inspire each other to be better. I’m surrounded by people who are supposed to guide me and some of them have and others haven’t. They pressure me, there’s so much pressure, you’ve got to be sexy, you’ve got to be cute, you’ve got to be nice, you’ve got to be all these things! And I’m sure you can all relate, you all have pressure that you have to deal with every day. I’m sure at school, at work, with friends, with parents, with family, parents, I know, sometimes with mine, they tell me what to wear, how to look, what I should say, how I should be. Until recently, I had given in to that pressure. I lost sight of who I was. I listened to opinions of people and I tried to change who I am because I thought that others would accept me for it. And I realized I don’t know how to be anything but myself. And all I really want you to know is that you are changing the world , I’m not changing the world, you’re changing the world and that’s amazing! Please, please just be kind to each other and love and inspire people because let’s do it! Let’s do it, let’s change the game, let’s change the game! The most important thing is that we learn and we continue to learn from each other. Please stay true to yourself, please just remain who you are and know that we have each other’s back, all of us have each other’s back. I’d be lying if I said that I never tried to make myself better by giving in, because I have, but I’ve learned from my actions, and for all of the things I’ve done I’m proudest of that I’ve learnt from my mistakes. I want you to know what it’s like that I know what it’s like. Figuring out what types of friends you have, you are who you surround yourself with. So I just want to say I hope I can inspire each and every one of you to just trust in yourselves, to love and to be loved, and thank you for allowing me to come up and ramble and talk to you guys because this is such a beautiful thing you’re doing. Be proud of yourselves. This is great!

Selena Gomez Speech

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Selena Gomez in tears during touching acceptance speech

Selena gomez thanked her friend, francia raisa, who donated a kidney to her earlier this year.

Selena Gomez broke down in tears during her acceptance speech at the Billboard Women in Music 2017, where she was awarded the Woman of the Year award. The star, who received a kidney donation from her best friend, Francia Raisa , earlier this year, said: "Thank you guys so much. To be honest, I think Francia should be getting this award because she saved my life."

READ: Selena Gomez on split with The Weeknd and how she reunited with Justin Bieber

Selena cried as she thanked her friend

Breaking down in tears, the singer apologised before continuing with her speech, saying: "I feel incredibly lucky. Honestly, I couldn't be more grateful for the position I've been given in my career. I want people to know I respect the platform that I have so deeply. Specifically this year, I would like to thank my amazing team and my family because they stuck with me through some really hard times. I got to do a lot this year, even though I had a couple of other things to do."

Francia donated a kidney to Selena

Francia, who was Selena's date to the evening, spoke about the kidney transplant, explaining: "It was so positive for our friendship. It got us closer but I also learned so much about myself. It was a very humbling experience. I was 28 years old at the time and I [needed] help to take a shower. I've learned so much from Selena growing up in our friendship." Selena's fans were quick to praise her emotional speech, with one writing: "Selena crying during her speech and saying Francia deserved it because she saved her life? Um yeah I am bawling my eyes out," while another person added: "Francia and Selena [are] warriors, who only deserve the best, and who are always strong ! "

READ: Selena Gomez on her kidney transplant: 'It was really kind of life or death'

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 Selena revealed that she had undergone a kidney transplant back in September. Sharing a photo of herself and Francia in hospital, she wrote: "There aren't words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa. She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis."

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Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift are besties: Everything to know about their friendship

Selena Gomez says she and bestie Taylor Swift are both addicted to the same Bravo reality series.

Gomez, 32, says in a new Vanity Fair cover story that she and the "Karma" singer, 34, like to chat about the latest episodes of "Vanderpump Rules."

Gomez, for her part, said she got so swept up in "Vanderpump" drama that she's now following the show's ex-cast members onto their next adventure.

“I’m on 'The Valley' now,” she said of the show's frothy spinoff, which premiered earlier this year. “I’ve watched every episode of 'Vanderpump ,'  so I don’t care if it’s bad!”

During the interview, the newly minted billionaire said she's leaned on Swift for help with navigating the entertainment industry.

Gomez told the publication she's sought Swift's advice on music and navigating new friendships.

“She is really like a big sister to me,” Gomez said of Swift.

Gomez's comments about the pair's close friendship come less than a year after she posted a birthday tribute to Swift last Dec. 13 that showed Swift shooting a selfie of herself kissing Gomez's cheek.

"Happy birthday to the goddess that is @taylorswift," Gomez captioned the post on her Instagram story. "I love you."

Swift was later spotted having a night out in New York City with pals like Blake Lively to celebrate her 34th birthday. The singer wore a black minidress with a silver moon and silver stars, black platform heels and a black faux fur coat for the occasion.

Gomez and Swift’s friendship spans well over a decade. The friends have been there for each other over the years, including award show appearances, birthdays, concerts, parties and more.

From 2008 to now, here’s everything to know about Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez’s longtime friendship.

Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift met through the Jonas Brothers

Gomez and Swift first crossed paths in 2008 while they were both dating members of the Jonas Brothers. At the time, Swift was dating Joe Jonas , while Selena Gomez was dating Nick Jonas.

The “Single Soon” singer recalled the story of how they first met during a December 2017 appearance on KISS FM UK , telling the hosts, “We actually dated the Jonas Brothers together! It was hysterical.”

“It was amazing, because she was the girl with the big curly hair and all the bracelets and the cowboy boots,” Gomez said of Swift. “And I was definitely up-and-coming, and we just clicked. It was the best thing we got out of those relationships.”

Selena Gomez looks to Taylor Swift for advice on love

During an interview with Seventeen in October 2009, when asked if she has a specific friend she goes to when it comes to love advice, Gomez replied, “Every single problem I ever have is healable by Taylor Swift!”

“If I ever I have an issue, Taylor has gone through it, because she’s older than me, and she gives the most thought-out answers,” she added. “And what I love about Taylor is that she does believe in the whole love story and Prince Charming and soul mates. Because of her, I haven’t lost faith.”

Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift attend the 2011 American Music Awards

Gomez and Swift both attended the 2011 American Music Awards in Los Angeles. The friends, who were placed next to each other at the event, posed with several other celebrities throughout the night including Jaden Smith, Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj.

2011 was a big year for the two to make award show appearances together.

Earlier in the year, Gomez and Swift were spotted at several award shows posing together, including the People’s Choice Awards in January 2011 and the Vanity Fair Oscar Party the following month in February. In the summer, they were also photographed at the Teen Choice Awards in August 2011 along with “Twilight” star Ashley Greene.

Taylor Swift brings Selena Gomez on stage during “Speak Now” tour

One of Swift’s longstanding tour traditions is bringing surprise guests onstage with her.

During a stop on her Speak Now World Tour, Swift brought out two special guests for the crowd at Madison Square Garden Nov. 22, 2011 — Gomez and James Taylor. For their joint performance, the friendship duo sang a duet of her 2011 song “Who Says.”

Taylor Swift shares why her friendship with Selena Gomez is special

What’s the secret to Swift and Gomez’s friendship? According to the “Anti-Hero” singer, it's longevity. Swift told E! News in May 2014 that their friendship has “been the longest one I think either of us had.”

“When your life changes and you become thrust into this really strange whirlwind where what your life is — is different from what other people think your life is,” she added. “And your life is commented on and your life is written about and fictionalized and all that.”

She added, “Both of us have kind of stuck it out and hung in there through all the different changes we’ve gone through.”

Taylor Swift brings Selena Gomez onstage during “1989” tour

Swift brought Gomez onstage during her fifth night in Los Angeles on the 1989 World Tour. For this performance, the duo sang Gomez’s hit “Good For You.”

“After nearly 8 years of friendship, I just can’t wait to tell our kids we ACTUALLY got to perform in front of thousands of insanely beautiful people together. TWICE!” Gomez wrote on Instagram reflecting on the moment. “I love you Tay.”

Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift attend 2015 MTV Video Music Awards

Swift showed up and showed out at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards with the celebrity crew who starred in her “Bad Blood” music video , including Gomez, Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne, Hailee Steinfeld and Mariska Hargitay.

On Instagram, Gomez shared a snap of part of the group as they posed with silly faces, writing in the caption on Instagram , “I’ve got the hottest dates #jussayin #vmas.”

Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift attend the 2016 Grammy Awards

Gomez and Swift flaunted their friendship once again on the red carpet at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

In a now-deleted Instagram post, Swift shared that she had “rolled up with the hottest date” to the award show, referring to Gomez.

That evening, Swift made history when she became the first woman to win album of the year twice .

Taylor Swift brings Selena Gomez onstage during “Reputation” tour

Swift brought Gomez out on tour yet again, this time for a performance at the Rose Bowl during her Reputation Stadium Tour in May 2018. The duo performed Gomez’s hit “Hands to Myself” for fans in their coordinating monochromatic black outfits.

In an Instagram post, Swift shared a photo of the friends onstage, writing in the caption, “To the person I could call at any time of day, who has been there no matter what... you absolutely KILLED IT tonight and everyone was so excited to see you.”

“I love you, and 60,000 people at the Rose Bowl loved you too,” Swift added.

Elle reported that after they performed together, Gomez gave a short speech to the crowd about the duo’s longtime friendship, calling Swift her “best friend.” 

“She’s always met me where I’ve been,” Gomez said. “She’s encouraged me when I’ve had nothing to be encouraged about, and I don’t know if I would be as strong as I am if I didn’t have you and your family because you’ve changed my life.”

Taylor Swift praises Selena Gomez’s new music

Both friends sat down with Zane Lowe and Apple Music separately in October 2019 to discuss their new music, including Swift’s album “Lover” and Gomez’s singles “Lose You To Love Me” and “Look At Her Now.”

When Gomez was on the show, Lowe played a clip from Swift’s interview where she celebrated her friend’s song “Look At Her Now,” calling it “the best thing” Gomez had done.

“I’m so proud of her. She’s been through so much,” Swift said. “I’ve watched so much happen in her life and had a front row seat to so much and I’m so proud of her.”

Swift added, “I’m really excited because when somebody has had great life experience, has had really tough things they’ve had to go through, and they can process that and make art that’s going to help other people, that’s what kind of song this is.”

Lowe asked Gomez what type of friend Swift has been for the tough moments in her life, to which she replied immediately, “Amazing.”

“She was frustrated when I was frustrated, she was sad when I was sad,” Gomez said, before sharing a story about Swift's touching reaction to her "Look At Her Now" music video . “I showed her the video and her mom and Taylor started crying. And it wasn’t because the song was emotional, it was because the first thing they said to me was ‘We’re so happy that you’re here after seeing all that — this is such a cool moment.’”

Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift reflect on decadelong friendship

Both Gomez and Swift reflected on their longtime friendship during a January 2020 feature in WSJ Magazine about the “Only Murders in the Building” star.

Gomez said that she and Swift “clicked instantly” when they had first met, with Swift adding, “There has always been this quality of sisterhood, and I don’t say that in a basic way.”

“I knew from when I met her I would always have her back,” she added. “In my life, I have the ability to forgive people who have hurt me. But I don’t know if I can forgive someone who hurts her.”

Despite very public moments in their friendship, including award show moments and public celebrations on social media, Gomez said, “There’s so much of my friendship with Taylor that people don’t know about because we don’t necessarily feel the need to post about everything we do.”

“She has showed up for me in ways that I would have never expected,” Gomez added. “Flown in because I was hurt and was going through something. Stuff that was going on with my family. It’s been proven year after year and in every moment of my life that she is one of my best friends in the world.”

Taylor Swift makes virtual appearance on “Selena + Chef”

Gomez expanded beyond acting and music with a new venture in August 2020: her own cooking show called “Selena + Chef.” The premise of the show saw Gomez being joined remotely by world renowned chefs to learn how to cook a wide variety of dishes. 

One episode featured chef Roy Choi as the duo cooked up some breakfast tacos. When the cooking was complete, Gomez took a moment to FaceTime Swift and show her the finished product, surprising both Choi and his daughter, who appeared both shocked and excited by the guest appearance.

Selena Gomez celebrates 30th birthday with Taylor Swift

July 22, 2022, marked Gomez’s 30th birthday. To celebrate the occasion, she and Swift enjoyed dinner together, as shared on the actor’s Instagram .

In the snaps, Gomez and Swift posed for several silly photos .

One frame captured Gomez smiling while Swift held up three fingers with her left hand and made the shape of a zero with her right. A second frame appeared to be a selfie taken by Swift where she gave a thumbs-up to the camera while Gomez covered her mouth as she laughed. 

“30, nerdy, and worthy,” Gomez captioned the post.

Selena Gomez says Taylor Swift is her only industry friend

Gomez sat down with Rolling Stone ahead of the release of her AppleTV+ documentary “Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me.”

Among the myriad of topics discussed in the interview, she reflected on fame and her famous friendships, explaining, “I never fit in with a cool group of girls that were celebrities.”

“My only friend in the industry really is Taylor (Swift), so I remember feeling like I didn’t belong,” she added. “I felt the presence of everyone around me living full lives. I had this position, and I was really happy, but … was I? Do these materialistic things make me happy? I just didn’t like who I was, because I didn’t know who I was.”

Taylor Swift gives Selena Gomez’s little sister a hat during Eras Tour

While Swift didn’t bring any guests onstage to perform with her during her Eras Tour, she had another tradition at each show. During her song “22,” Swift would give away the hat she was wearing during the performance to a fan in the crowd. 

At a stop in Arlington, Texas, in April 2023, Swift gave her hat to Gomez’s younger half sister , Gracie Elliott Teefey.

Gomez shared a sweet moment from the concert on her Instagram , capturing her sister holding her arms in the air as she made a heart with her hands. 

“Thank you bestie for having me and my sissy transport into your mystical, euphoric and special world,” Gomez wrote in the caption. “Proud to know you! love you forever and always.”

Selena Gomez attends one of Swift’s famous Fourth of July parties

Swift brought back her infamous Fourth of July parties in July 2023, bringing along Gomez and the Haim sisters , Danielle, Alana and Este, for the occasion.

The singer shared several snaps from the celebration on Instagram on July 7, including a photo of the group of girls laying on the lawn in their swimsuits. Another frame showed a series of Polaroid images of the crew, including two snaps of Swift and Gomez posing together.

“Happy belated Independence Day from your local neighborhood independent girlies,” Swift captioned the post.

Selena Gomez and her little sister attend Taylor Swift’s concert in Los Angeles

Gomez made another appearance at Swift’s Eras Tour, this time at one of her stops at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. 

She shared a series of Instagram stories from the evening, including a sweet moment as she embraced her little sister Gracie while Swift performed “Lover.”

In another snap, Gomez showed off all of the friendship bracelets she collected at the show, writing, “Thank you to the fans that traded with me.”

Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift attend MTV Video Music Awards

The 2023 MTV Video Music Awards were a big night for Swift, who won nine out of the 11 awards she was nominated for.

The evening also saw an award show reunion between Gomez and Swift. The friends were photographed together at the Prudential Center during the VMAs in their glam ensembles.

A few days later, Gomez shared two selfies with the “Karma” singer on Instagram on Sept. 16.

In the first frame, Swift took a selfie of the duo both smiling at the camera while they dined outside. The second image caught Gomez giving the camera a kissy face while Swift gave her longtime best friend a kiss on the cheek.

“Thas my best frien- she a real bad,” Gomez wrote, captioning the post with a reference to Saweetie’s viral song “Best Friend.”

Francesca Gariano is a New York City-based freelance journalist reporting on culture, entertainment, beauty, lifestyle and wellness. She is a freelance contributor to TODAY.com, where she covers pop culture and breaking news.

Gina Vivinetto is a writer for TODAY.com.

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Watch Selena Gomez Explain Why She Retreated From the Spotlight to Work on Her Mental Health

This time last year, Selena Gomez announced she was taking a social media hiatus. Reports would emerge in October that she checked herself into an East Coast facility to seek treatment for her mental health. (Gomez was reportedly hospitalized twice before for an alarmingly low white blood cell, and People was told by a source that "she has had a tough few weeks and the panic attack in the hospital was the tipping point. She realized she needed to seek additional help for her ongoing emotional issues.")

Gomez spoke for the first time about the decision she made to get help last fall in a speech she made last week at McLean Hospital in Boston. She spoke about her breaking point and how it led her to start working through her bigger issues.

"It felt like all of my pain and anxiety washed over me all at once, and it was one of the scariest moments of my life," she said. "I sought support, and the doctors were able to give me a clear diagnosis. The moment I received that information I actually felt equal parts of terrified and relieved—terrified, obviously, because the veil was lifted, but relieved I finally had the knowledge of why I had suffered for so many years from depression and anxiety. I’ve never had full answers, awareness or anything about this condition So I began to face it head on."

Jay Ruderman shared a video of her speech, applauding Gomez for her courage speaking out about her journey. "Thank you @selenagomez for being so open about your #mentalhealth," he tweeted. "Your bravery in seeking help and speaking out will inspire others to do the same @RudermanFdn was honored to hear your story last Friday at @McLeanHospital."

Here, everything she said during her speech that was publicly shared, transcribed:

I think that we are better when we tell the truth. And so this is my truth. Last year, I was suffering mentally and emotionally, and I wasn’t able to stay all kept up and together. I wasn’t able to keep a smile or to keep thinks looking normal. And it felt like all of my pain and anxiety washed over me all at once, and it was one of the scariest moments of my life. I sought support, and the doctors were able to give me a clear diagnosis. The moment I received that information I actually felt equal parts of terrified and relieved—terrified, obviously, because the veil was lifted, but relieved I finally had the knowledge of why I had suffered for so many years from depression and anxiety. I’ve never had full answers, awareness or anything about this condition So I began to face it head on, as my mother taught me to face my fears and challenges when I was younger. I sought out help—I actually sought out to get the help that I needed. I got educated. I talked to a lot of people that were suffering with the same things. I read a lot about it, and it was something that kind of took over and I became very passionate about it. I’ve met with some greatest doctors, and I’ve met with specialists, and I’m just fortunate enough to be able to work with some of the greatest doctors and psychiatrists and amazing people to help me guide me personally through my journey. Although this does not mean that it has all gone away, but I can say that after a year of a lot of intense work that I am happier, I am healthier, and I’m in control of my emotions and thoughts more than I’ve ever been, so I’m very happy about that.

Gomez herself shared personal photos from her Boston trip on her Instagram today. "My Boston photo diary 💜🌈," she wrote. "thank you for being so warm and welcoming to me while I was there!! I had the best time meeting so many of you."

She also shared a photo of herself from the dinner. "So humbled to have been part of the incredible McLean Hospital’s Annual Dinner and was honored to be able to share a bit of my story," she wrote. "Thank you Dr. Rauch for inviting me and spending time speaking with me about mental health. And thank you to all the amazing staff at McLean. And a huge thank you to David O Russell for connecting me with these amazing humans. These are the moments where I am so grateful for the platform God has given me. ❤️"

Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she's not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.

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From singer to entrepreneur, Selena Gomez has become a billionaire

• By Jordan Valinsky, CNN
• Sep 8, 2024

Selena Gomez has achieved billionaire status at 32, with a net worth of $1 point 3 billion.

NEW YORK — Selena Gomez can now add becoming a billionaire to her long list of achievements.

The 32-year-old actress, singer, investor and entrepreneur just achieved the financial milestone thus making her one of the youngest self-made billionaires in the United States, according to Bloomberg, which values her net worth at $1.3 billion.

Some of the wealth for the “Only Murders in the Building” star comes from singing, brand partnerships and acting, but the “vast bulk” of her wealth is tied to Rare Beauty, her 5-year-old makeup line that is a success with influencers and teens, the publication revealed Friday.

Selena Gomez, the 32-year-old actress, singer, investor and entrepreneur just achieved the financial milestone thus making her one of the youngest self-made billionaires in the United States, according to Bloomberg, which values her net worth at $1.3 billion.

Gomez’s wealth is based on Bloomberg’s “estimated value” of her stake in the beauty brand, plus her interest in mental health platform Wondermind and various other earnings from her music, acting, properties and money she makes from partnerships that she posts about on social media, which includes her 424 million followers on Instagram.

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Her popularity on Instagram makes her the third most followed person, behind soccer icons Cristiano Ronaldo (638 million) and Lionel Messi (504 million), helping her rake in massive endorsements with Puma, worth a reported $30 million , and Coach, a $10 million deal .

James Darren, 'Gidget' teen idol, singer and director, dies at 88

• BOB THOMAS Associated Press

But her following has also helped her Rare Beauty line, putting her in the celebrity-led category of makeup brands dominated by Rihanna and the Kardashians. Gomez also has reportedly reached out to investors for Rare Beauty, seeking a $2 billion valuation .

In 2020, Gomez revealed that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and later said in an interview with Entrepreneur that any deal struck with her “has to have an element that’s charitable or in the mental health space.” She started the Rare Impact Fund to help raise $100 million to help people gain access to mental health services.

Other revenue streams for the former child star include income from her Hulu show “Only Murders in the Building,” which was just renewed for a fifth season where she makes $6 million a season, according to Bloomberg, and a smaller slice from her music royalties.

Gomez’s representative didn’t immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Sergio Mendes, Grammy-winning Brazilian music legend, dies at 83

• By DAVID BILLER and GABRIELA SÁ PESSOA Associated Press

Rich Homie Quan, the Atlanta rapper known for trap jams like 'Type of Way,' dies at 33

• By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. and ANDREW DALTON - AP Entertainment Writers

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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• Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP via CNN Newsource

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Inside the TIFF Tribute Awards: Angelina Jolie Asks for No Photographs and Viggo Mortensen Decries David Cronenberg’s Oscar Snubs

By Clayton Davis

Clayton Davis

Senior Awards Editor

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The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) celebrated some of the most talented figures in film and entertainment at this year’s Tribute Awards. The star-studded event, held annually at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, serves as both a gala dinner fundraiser for TIFF’s philanthropic efforts and a potential precursor for future award-season contenders.

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Angelina jolie’s strict request raises eyebrows, popular on variety.

A message from TIFF programmers read: “Angelina Jolie’s team has requested that there be no photography or videography of Angelina during the Tribute Awards. This includes all photography and videography by TIFF, our sponsors, our partners and our guests. Please let your teams know that to accommodate this, there will be a dip in the live feed during the presentation of the Impact Award.”

The unusual request, particularly for a speech that did not appear to be politically charged or controversial, sparked curiosity. Why would an actress of Jolie’s stature — known for her advocacy and currently taking on the award circuit to promote her acclaimed turn in Pablo Larraín’s “Maria” — request such privacy at a public event?

Cate Blanchett Scores a Big Laugh

“I’m not actually wearing any underwear,” Blanchett quipped, to the delight of the audience. “As Michelle Obama says, when I go low, you go high.” Blanchett’s humor added a playful tone to the typically formal evening, reminiscent of her speech at the Palm Springs gala, where she jokingly revealed Jamie Lee Curtis had flashed her en route to the event.

Amy Adams Is in Her Happy Place

Six-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams also made an emotional appearance. Honored with a tribute presented by her “Arrival” director Denis Villeneuve, the star of Marielle Heller’s “Nightbitch” fought back tears while thanking her family and her tight-knit circle of friends and colleagues.

“I’m really honored to be here tonight among the activists, the artists, and the visionaries who have inspired me both on-screen and off. I’m not going to say how long, but it’s been a long time,” Adams said, visibly moved.

Viggo Mortensen Pays Tribute to David Cronenberg

Viggo Mortensen, who has collaborated frequently with David Cronenberg, took the stage to remind the audience of a glaring omission by the Academy Awards. Despite Cronenberg’s long and influential career, the director of “A History of Violence” and “The Fly” has never been nominated for an Oscar. Could Bill Kramer, the Academy CEO who is was in attendance, relay the message to the Directors Branch?

Cronenberg, attending TIFF for the North American premiere of his film “The Shrouds,” which debuted at Cannes, reminded the audience (with a smile), that he’s getting old: “I’m exactly the same age as Joe Biden.”

A Musical Tribute from “Emilia Pérez” Duo

The evening also featured a musical moment courtesy of French songwriting duo Camille Dalmais and Clément Ducol, who were honored with the TIFF Artisan Award for their work on Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez.”

Presented by the film’s stars Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez in a touching tribute, Ducol dedicated his award to his late father, also a composer. The duo then treated the audience to a brief performance, which, though a bit uneven, was a sweet and heartfelt gesture.

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