It was a “pinch me” moment. On September 15, S Selena Gomez hit the stage at the 76th annual Emmy Awards with screen legends and her Only Murders in the Building costars Steve Martin and Martin Short to present the first award of the night . Later, the star — who was up for her first Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress — got teary-eyed when veteran Latino actor John Leguizamo gave her a special shout-out while celebrating the diversity of the nominees. To top of a magical evening, Selena, dressed in black Ralph Lauren with Tiffany & Co. jewels, had her boyfriend, Benny Blanco , at her side — the two were spotted holding hands and sneaking in a few kisses during the ceremony.
It’s a scenario Selena didn’t always see coming. The 32-year-old became a child star after being born to a teen mom in Grand Prairie, Texas. But her early success was marred by a number of challenges, including her 2014 lupus diagnosis, a toxic on-off romance with Justin Bieber and a mental health breakdown in 2018. Now she’s starring in the fourth season of Only Murders in the Building as well as the French indie film Emilia Pérez , and in September, she officially reached billionaire status thanks in part to her bestselling makeup line, Rare Beauty. And she has also finally found love with 36-year-old music producer Benny (they began dating in July 2023).
“Life is good for Selena,” a source exclusively tells Life & Style . “She’s telling friends she has everything she could ever hope for and more.”
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ROUGH START
Selena’s mother, Mandy Teefey , was just 16 when she gave birth, and Selena spent much of her childhood with grandparents while Mandy finished high school. “I never saw the light at the end of the tunnel where my mom was working hard to provide a better life for me,” Selena has said, adding that she’s “terrified” of what might’ve happened to her had she not left Texas. As her mother, an aspiring actress, sacrificed and worked multiple jobs, however, she did more than just put food on the table, says the source. “She made sure Selena got an education.”
After landing her first big acting role on the children’s show Barney & Friends at 10, Selena went on to star in the popular series Wizards of Waverly Place for four seasons. Money was scarce at home, and she felt some pressure to help keep the family afloat financially. “Since I was a kid I’ve been working,” she said in her 2022 Apple TV+ documentary, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me. As difficult as it was, Selena doesn’t regret a thing, says the source. “It taught her to work hard and follow her dreams.”
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Now she’s having a blast on Only Murders in the Building. “Selena loves working with Steve and Martin, they’ve taught her so much,” says the source. “It’s so fun to watch them interact and they get a kick out of working with her and treat her as an equal.”
HAPPY ENDING
Over the years, Selena has been open about her illnesses and mental health struggles. In 2017, she received a kidney transplant from her friend, fellow former child star Francia Raisa. (Though she caught flak for being ungrateful after their 2022 falling-out, the pair reconnected last year.) And in My Mind & Me , she talked about her bipolar disorder diagnosis following a psychotic break. Recently, she revealed that her health struggles will prevent her from becoming a bio mom — and defended her choice to be open about it. “That’s what my life is like,” she reasoned. “I truly believe that there is power in being vulnerable.”
That vulnerability has brought her happiness with Benny, who in a new Vanity Fair interview she called “a light,” adding, “I’ve never been loved this way.” After years of very public drama with Justin, it’s a relief. “Selena has got it good with Benny,” says the source, adding that they hope to start a family together. (“That’s my next goal,” Benny said in May.) “It’s something they both want. Selena believes Benny would make a great dad .”
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