The Sad Reason Selena Gomez and Her ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ Co-Stars Stopped Being Friends

Selena Gomez is a triple-threat star who has been a mainstay in pop culture since she was a young girl. Gomez began her career on the children’s TV series Barney & Friends, proving her talent and going on to land many other high-profile opportunities. These days, Gomez is an actor and singer with many irons in the fire — but many of her fans still know her best for her work on the Disney Channel, specifically as Alex Russo in Wizards of Waverly Place.

However, in the years following Gomez’s departure from the show, she lost touch with many of her co-stars. In a recent podcast interview with her Wizards of Waverly Place co-stars Jennifer Stone and David DeLuise, Gomez revealed why she fell out of touch with them.

Selena Gomez rose to prominence on ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’

Gomez was an experienced actor by the time she was cast in Wizards of Waverly Place. However, her work as Alex Russo helped to make her a star. The series, which debuted in 2007, told the story of a teenage wizard, played by Gomez, who lived with her family in Greenwich Village, New York City. Alex struggles with her budding magical abilities, even while dealing with many of the same trials and tribulations as any other teenage girl.

Wizards of Waverly Place ran on the Disney Channel until 2012. In the years that followed, Gomez prioritized her singing career, becoming one of the best-selling pop artists of all time. She also continued to act, appearing in movies like Monte Carlo, Spring Breakers, and The Dead Don’t Die.

What did Selena Gomez say about not staying in touch with her ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ co-stars?

Gomez’s life changed a lot after Wizards of Waverly Place — and in a recent interview on the PodCo’s Wizards of Waverly Pod, Gomez discussed how and why she lost touch with her co-stars, including David DeLuise, who played Jerry Russo, and Jennifer Stone, who portrayed Harper Finkle.

After admitting that her biggest regret was “not staying in touch” with them after the show ended, Gomez said, “I felt ashamed of the decisions that I made. I didn’t want you guys to see me in the state that I was in, because a. you would have told me the truth, which terrifies me, and b. I didn’t want to let you down.”

As reported by People Magazine, the star said that she never stopped being fond of Stone and DeLuise. “I appreciate you guys dearly,” she said. “I love you so much in a way that I’ve never loved anybody else.” Both Stone and DeLuise were transparent with Gomez about the way that they all lost touch, with Stone admitting, “I appreciate you saying that too because, to be perfectly blunt, there has been times where I’m like, ‘Did we stop being friends because I didn’t tell her what she wanted to hear? You know what I mean?'”

Selena Gomez admitted that she felt ‘safe’ with her ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ co-stars

In spite of everything that has happened in Gomez’s life since her starring turn in Wizards of Waverly Place, she’s never forgotten what a great time she had. In the podcast, Gomez revealed that her time working on the Disney Channel show really provided her with a sense of community and belonging that sticks with her today.

“I think I felt safe and that’s a really hard thing for me to feel,” she said. “I know you guys love me for me. … You guys genuinely loved me, and that’s all I could have asked for. The unconditional trust and bond we had, I miss (it) so much.”