Selena Gomez Says It’s No One’s Business She’s a Billionaire

On Wednesday, Selena Gomez appeared on the cover of The Hollywood Reporter. The headline? “Selena Gomez Is Still Tricking Her Way Into Auditions.” A child actor-cum-singer-cum-billionaire makeup mogul forced to deceive casting directors because they’re skeptical of either her preceding fame, age, or god knows what else? Scintillating.

In the story, Gomez gets candid on all of the above but frankly, I was only struck by her response to becoming a billionaire.

“In September, Bloomberg reported your net worth at $1.3 billion, making you a billionaire,” the magazine’s executive television editor, Lacey Rose said. “At the risk of stereotyping, I’ve found that men will sing about their wealth while women are uncomfortable even talking about it. What’s your relationship to that status?”

Gomez replied that she doesn’t “really pay much attention” to her wealth and that the designation hasn’t changed “anything” about her save for her pride. It began like the classic response from anyone who’s accumulated unfathomable wealth…until she tacked on the following:

“And also, personally, I just don’t think it’s anyone’s business.” Ah yes, the financials of a public figure reported on by Bloomberg et al. is no one’s business. What a privilege to invoke the right to privacy and shirk all responsibility for one’s wealth. Can you imagine amassing so much money that it’s no one’s business? In October, Entertainment Weekly asked a similar question about her net worth—which is due, in part, to the success of her cosmetics brand, Rare Beauty. And Gomez shared a similar sentiment.

“I personally think it’s distasteful to talk about money,” she told the outlet. Or, perhaps it’s just distasteful to discuss how much money you have—particularly when it’s being funneled from an industry that capitalizes on insecurities.

Later in the interview, Gomez is asked about navigating the pitfalls of fame and whether or not her peers—namely, Chappell Roan—have ever contacted her for advice, given her decades in the biz.

“No, I haven’t really had anyone [famous] ask for my advice, and that’s fine,” she replied. “I mean, I don’t [share my story] for that reason. And I’d almost rather talk to someone who I met at a burger spot in New York.” Sounds too specific of an example, no? Rose, of course, asked her to elaborate.

“I had, gosh, probably four women over the age of 35, and they were like, “We’re supposed to be adults, but we’re here celebrating that she just got out of this really, really bad marriage, and we listen to [Gomez’s song,] ‘Lose You to Love Me’ all the time,” she said. “I ended up sitting down with them and we all talked all about it, and it was just this really lovely moment.”

First, while that’s very sweet, I highly doubt Gomez would rather chat with four thirty-somethings celebrating a breakup than with one of the most interesting pop stars in the world right now. Would you? Second, consider this permission to shame me into next Tuesday if I ever write that “Lose You to Love Me” got me through a breakup…

Oh well. At least Gomez isn’t teaming up with Elon Musk like every other billionaire.