As Selena Gomez navigates the red carpet switch from the Grammys to the Academy, the past film credits of her high-profile resume prompt a double take. The Disney darling who enchanted millennials worldwide has journeyed far from sketching the network logo from the Russo crib to stealing the spotlight with standing ovations at premiere shows. But with artistic evolution comes the inevitable pause for reflection. Amidst the Oscar screams, Gomez recently looked back at her R-rated adventure with Vanessa Hudgens from 2012.

While fans still chuckle at the mischievous Gomez, forever running from the Wizard Council in her early days, her introspection casts a glowing light on the shift in her perspective from then to now.

In a recent conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Selena Gomez back-tracked her resume when the host recalled Harmony Korine’s indie film, Spring Breakers, in which she starred. Asking whether the choice was “conscious,” the Disney star admitted it really was. Upon being probed further if the jump-ship scared anyone around, Gomez recalled telling Vanessa Hudgens in the film that since it is “technically R-rated,” her young fans would not see it, unaware of how “naïve” she was back in the day.

While Hudgens left it at “Ohh-kay…,” Korine did not. As Gomez expressed her wish to star in a “cool project” after hitting a century with Wizards of the Waverly Place and its two movies, Korine just smiled and added he thought she would be perfect for the part because well, the character is very “naïve.” However, looking back at it now, the actor feels she sounded nothing more than a 12-year-old, even as the Oscar chants grow louder every day.

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The host also asked Gomez about her leap into Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, having spoken about her feeling that people still view the Disney star in her.

In her conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Selena Gomez laid bare the trajectory of her credit list with utmost appreciation and gratitude. Looking back at her early days, the actor admitted never having “any issue with Disney.” However, what she did confess was her need to separate herself from that realm for a while, having felt a “little tired.” 

According to Gomez, those things are now the ghosts of the past, because returning to the screen with the Wizards Beyond Waverly Place feels like a “way of honoring that part” of hers from where it all began. She recalled stumbling upon a clip from the last day of shooting the Disney series and feeling fulfillment that she could pass the mantle to someone else. But most importantly, what ties her back is her wish to remain eternally connected with the “younger audience” even if it means a whole new generation.

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What do you think of Selena Gomez's present outlook for starring in the Spring Breakers alongside Vanessa Hudgens? Let us know in the comments below!