When she was very young, Selena Gomez wanted to be an actress. But she lived in a small Texas town, not Hollywood. Her parents were divorced. Money was tight. Selena persisted with her dream, and when she was seven, she auditioned for and won a part on Barney & Friends. A few years later, she landed a role as Mikayla on the popular Miley Cyrus show, Hannah Montana. Selena liked acting and worked hard to improve her skills. During the next few years, she appeared in many TV and movie roles. Then she was offered the chance to star in her own TV show. Read about how Selena Gomez, star of Disney Channel s Wizards of Waverly Place, evolved from an unknown girl into one of today s busiest actors, even receiving the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award for Favorite TV Actress!