Selena Gomezis considered by many to be a household name who catapulted to fame after becoming a Disney Channel staple, but the multi-faceted icon has just revealed that she was cut from two Disney shows early in her career.Gomez’s roleshave been watched by millions, as she rose to prominence after joining theWizards of Waverly Placecastin the lead role of Alex Russo.
Wizards of Waverly Place first aired on Disney Channel on June 20, 2025. The show ran for 6 seasons before ending in 2012. Following the end of the show, Gomez broke out as a movie star, starring inSpring Breakers, Monte Carlo, andHotel Transylvaniain a main voice role.
While a guest on Jake Shane’s YouTube talk show,Therapuss, Gomez revealed that she was in two separate Disney Channel pilots that did not get picked up. The Rare Beauty founder revealed that she starred in the pilot episodes of spin-offs of two major Disney Channel shows:Lizzie McGuireandThe Suite Life of Zack and Cody, which she says put her at her “wits' end.”
It was actually a weird thing because I was on three pilots for the Disney Channel: one was the spinoff of Lizzie McGuire, one was the spinoff of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and the last one was Wizards. So by then, all of them didn’t get picked up and I was just kind of at my wits’ end, but not in a bad way. I just kind of thought, ‘OK, well this is not going to work out.’
My whole life changed after [my Wizards] casting. It was an immediate feeling of, ‘Oh, I achieved my dream’ at that point in time. I was such a huge fan of the channel. I was a huge fan of what they did for our generation, and it was an honor. I wear it proudly. I definitely am not ashamed of being part of the Disney high school experience.
What This Means For Selena Gomez
While having both those pilots be rejected and not picked up by Disney Channel for a series order put Gomez through the ringer emotionally, her career was still able to thrive. Gomez was able to launch her stardom by starring in a Disney Channel sitcom, but it is not clear what her career would be like now if the other shows had been picked up.
Gomez has done great things in her career, beyond just being an actor. Gomez is a successful musician with four studio albums under her belt. Gomez also created her old makeup brand, Rare Beauty, in 2020, which has helped bring her net worth to nearly $1 billion.
Our Take On Selena Gomez’s Disney Channel Revelation
Actress Selena Gomez as Alex Russo in Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place.
Gomez has made a name for herself, not just with acting but outside that medium as well, and it doesn’t seem like those two pilots being picked up by Disney Channel would have helped her success. Given that she has transitioned into other popular roles like Mabel inOnly Murders in the Building, everything has worked out for the best.
Only Murders in the Buildingseason 5 premieres on July 26, 2025.
Gomez is a household name, and it seems as though those two shows falling through didn’t hinder her success.Selena Gomezreleased a new albumwith her fiancé and is still busy with acting, having just appeared inWizards Beyond Waverly Place,a reboot of her popular Disney show.
