The impressive list of Selena Gomez movies and TV shows has grown over her lengthy career in show business, and she keeps getting better with every subsequent role. There aren't many people as young as Gomez who can trace their acting careers back through three different decades, but the multi-talented performer is one of those rare cases. She originally got her start on TV screens as a child on Barney & Friends and her career was launched into high gear through other children's programs. Gomez is unique among Hollywood stars because she was able to successfully shed her child-star image, and branch out into more mature roles.
Not limited to acting alone, Selena Gomez has also established a successful music career for herself and has even produced hit shows like Netflix's 13 Reasons Why. Though she is a star in her own right and has led TV shows and movies, Gomez's greatest strength as an actor is her flexibility. Whether she is the lead character or merely a background cameo, Selena Gomez manages to improve whatever project she is attached to with her charisma and generally likable demeanor. When she ed the cast of Only Murders in the Building in 2021, it signaled another major shift in her already accomplished acting career.
12 The Muppets (2011)
After a long time away, 2011's The Muppets brought Jim Henson's beloved creations back to the big screen. Inspired by his favorite TV show, a puppet named Walter (Peter Linz) travels to Hollywood to help the Muppets save their theater from demolition. The film itself was a fun romp that truly captured the zany spirit expected from every Muppets movie, and it featured a huge ensemble of celebrity cameos. Though most Selena Gomez movies and TV shows feature her in a prominent role, she appeared in The Muppets in a brief cameo as herself, most likely because of her immense popularity as a young Disney Channel star.
- The Muppets is available to stream on Disney Plus
11 The Big Short (2015)
The Big Short already had a stacked cast, and it added humorous cameos from stars like Selena Gomez to further spice things up. The film chronicles the true story of shady investors who tanked the United States economy in 2008 through a series of complicated real estate transactions. A lot of the jargon used during the film was a bit difficult for casual viewers to understand, so the filmmakers included random cameos from Gomez, Margot Robbie, Anthony Bourdain, and Richard Thaler to explain things to the audience. Gomez's particular cameo concerned CDOs, and her witty performance made learning fun.
- The Big Short is available to stream on Hoopla
10 Rudderless (2014)
Many of the best Selena Gomez movies and TV shows allow her to showcase her musical and acting abilities, and 2014's Rudderless also gave her the opportunity to show off her dramatic chops. The plot follows a father (Billy Crudup) who finds demo tapes recorded by his recently deceased son (Miles Heizer) and forms a band with the music to honor him. Gomez played the son's ex-girlfriend, Kate, and she delivered a strong performance that was an obvious departure from her younger roles. But though it was well-received, the William H. Macy-directed indie musical drama failed to move the needle at the box office (via Box Office Mojo).
- Rudderless is available to stream on Hoopla
9 Monte Carlo (2011)
While she was still starring in Wizards of Waverly Place, Selena Gomez made the jump to cinema in Monte Carlo. In the film, a trio of young women (Gomez, Katie Cassidy, and Leighton Meester) ditch their lives in Texas for a Paris vacation where Grace (Gomez) is mistaken for a British socialite. Though critics were iffy about it, there was no denying the chemistry between Gomez and her co-stars. Movies about vacations gone wrong are a dime a dozen, but Monte Carlo had plenty of enticing vistas and enough humor to keep things fresh. Additionally, Monte Carlo made it clear that Gomez had a future beyond TV.
- Monte Carlo is available to buy or rent on Apple TV, Prime Video, YouTube, and Vudu
8 Ramona And Beezus (2010)
Based on the book series by Beverly Cleary, 2010's Ramona and Beezus brought the beloved childhood literary staple to life on the big screen. The young and rambunctious Ramona (Joey King) retreats into her imagination as she and her older sister Beezus (Gomez) must help save the family home. Many of the Selena Gomez movies and TV shows of the early 2010s were a transition period for the young star, and her turn as Beezus showed she was on the cusp of graduating to more mature roles. The movie itself was a surprising mix of drama and heart, and it went a long way in capturing Cleary's original playful vision.
- Ramona and Beezus is available to stream on Disney Plus
7 The Fundamentals Of Caring (2016)
Although The Fundamentals of Caring was underseen, it featured some of Selena Gomez's best dramatic work. The film centers on a struggling writer (Paul Rudd) who becomes a caregiver for a teen with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Craig Roberts) as they go on a road trip. While on their journey, they meet a hitchhiker named Dot (Gomez), who bonds with them. The Fundamentals of Caring was a Sundance Film Festival hit in 2016, and was eventually snatched up by Netflix. Gomez stole the show in her ing role, and her chemistry with Roberts was the highlight of the otherwise decent indie summer road trip movie.
- The Fundamentals of Caring is available to stream on Netflix
6 Horton Hears A Who! (2008)
Movies based on the works of Dr. Seuss have historically been hit-or-miss, but Horton Hears a Who! was a definitive hit. The story centers on an elephant (Jim Carrey) who tries to protect the tiny and secret community of Whoville. Selena Gomez voiced Helga, the daughter of the Whoville mayor, and flexed her voice-acting muscles in a small-but-memorable role. A certified box office smash (via the best Dr. Seuss movies, Horton Hears a Who! lived up to its vaunted reputation.
- Horton Hears a Who! is available to stream on Max
5 Selena + Chef (2020 - Present)
Though most Selena Gomez movies and TV shows are fictional, her cooking series Selena + Chef shows the multi-talented star's real side. Springing from the lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, the reality show follows Gomez as she sharpens her cooking skills with the help of real-life chefs from around the globe. In an oversaturated market of cooking programs, Selena + Chef manages to shine because of the star's natural likability and her relatable approach to the culinary arts. Though she has conquered singing, acting, and producing, her novice skills in the kitchen make her a perfect guide for someone just starting out.
- Selena + Chef is available to stream on Max
4 Hotel Transylvania Series
Building off of her success as a voice actor in Horton Hears a Who!, Selena Gomez was tapped to play a major role in the ultra-successful animated film series Hotel Transylvania. The horror-themed family series concerns Count Dracula (Adam Sandler) who owns an exclusive resort for the world's ghouls and monsters, as he tries to relate to his daughter Mavis (Gomez). Perfectly cast as the bubbly and thoroughly un-monster-like Mavis, Gomez's star power helped to make the series a consistent box-office success across its four installments. Every Hotel Transylvania movie is full of wholesome heart, and Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation grossed a whopping $528 million (via Box Office Mojo).
- The Hotel Transylvania series is available to stream on Netflix, Prime Video, and Fubo TV
3 Wizards Of Waverly Place (2007 - 2012)
Tracing the roots of her stardom back to the Disney Channel, Selena Gomez's starring role in Wizards of Waverly Place made her a household name. The series concerns a trio of siblings (Gomez, David Henrie, and Jake T. Austin) who must learn to use their burgeoning magical abilities. The coming-of-age atmosphere of the series was perfectly accentuated by the fun magical hijinks the siblings inevitably found themselves in. The actress' turn as Alex Russo would set the tone for Selena Gomez movies and TV shows for much of the 2010s, and her Disney Channel platform allowed her to show off both her acting and singing.
- Wizards of Waverly Place is available to stream on Disney Plus and Fubo TV
