Selena Gomez turns 30: How she survived child stardom, illness, heartbreak, and came out on top

foxnews.com:

Selena Gomez turned 30 years old Friday and says she is excited about getting older. "I love growing up," she told People magazine. "When I was younger, I was scared of it, and I thought by now my life would look so different.

But now I’m like, ‘Wow, this is not what I ever expected, and I couldn’t be more thrilled.’ I’ve stopped caring about what people have to say, and that’s been wonderful." In her 30 years, Gomez has experienced many ups and downs regarding her health, career and romantic life, but she puts a positive spin on it all.

Disney Starlet Selena Gomez starred on "Wizards of Waverly Place" on Disney Channel for four seasons from 2007 to 2012. (Photo by Adam Rose/Disney Channel via Getty Images) Gomez got her start as a child actor on "Barney and Friends" then became a household name while starring on the Disney Channel show "Wizards of Waverly Place." Selena played Alex Russo, a wizard in training living in New York City and trying to balance magic lessons with typical teenage girl problems.

She starred on the show for four seasons from 2007 to 2012, but was on Disney Channel in smaller roles before then. Gomez filmed two pilots for spin-offs of popular shows "Lizzie McGuire" and "Suite Life of Zack and Cody," but neither one was picked up.