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Selena Gomez Reveals Why She Was ‘Ashamed’ She Didn’t Stay in Touch With ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ Cast

Selena Gomez Reveals Why She Was ‘Ashamed’ That She Didn’t Stay in Touch With ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ Cast - 561
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A not so magical moment. Selena Gomez got real about why she distanced herself from the Wizards of Waverly Place cast after the show’s end.

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The former Disney Channel star, who played Alex Russo on the comedy from 2007 to 2012, revealed on Monday, February 27, that her “biggest mistake so far” in life was related to her losing touch with her former costars.

“Probably not staying in touch with you guys. Honestly,” Gomez, 30, told former castmates Jennifer Stone and David DeLuise during the Monday episode of their “Wizards of Waverly Pod” podcast.

Selena Gomez Reveals Why She Was ‘Ashamed’ That She Didn’t Stay in Touch With ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ Cast - 563
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DeLuise, who portrayed Alex’s dad, Jerry Russo, replied: “You’re going to make me cry.”

Gomez, for her part, explained that she “slowly became, like, kind of shamed,” after the show stopped filming and her celebrity status grew tenfold.

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“I felt ashamed of the decisions that I made. I didn’t want you guys to see me in the state that was I in,” the Only Murders in the Building star confessed. “Because A: you would have told me the truth, which terrifies me. And B: I didn’t want to let you down.”

DeLuise, 51, was taken aback by Gomez’s honestly, saying, “That’s really sweet and thank you for saying that. I miss you.

Stone, meanwhile, revealed that she was grateful to hear Gomez’s side. “There has been times where I’m like, ‘Did we stop being friends because I didn’t tell her what she wanted to hear?’” the 30-year-old actress, who played Alex’s BFF on the sitcom, recalled.

Gomez took in the criticism and insisted that her love for all the Wizards cast, which also included David Henrie, Jake T. Austin and Maria Canals-Barrera, is still strong. “I appreciate you guys dearly. I love you so much in a way that I’ve never loved anybody else,” she said, to which the podcast cohosts responded, “We love you too.”

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The Spring Breakers actress has had a massive career since her Disney days, including music, film and TV roles. She has also dealt with heartbreak, including her public breakup from Justin Bieber in 2018 after dating on and off since 2010. Health wise, the “Lose You to Love Me” singer is living with Lupus and announced in April 2020 that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Despite all the personal and professional ups and downs, Gomez revealed on Monday that her Disney Channel family is something she will always treasure.

Selena Gomez Reveals Why She Was ‘Ashamed’ That She Didn’t Stay in Touch With ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ Cast - 562
Disney Channel/Kobal/Shutterstock

“Little did I know that I ended up with everyone I needed to be in my life [from Wizards]. I think I felt safe, and that’s a really hard thing for me to feel,” she told listeners of her former castmates on the podcast. “I know that 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.”

The Emmy nominee revealed that working on Wizards was “the happiest I’d been in my whole life,” noting that when they filmed she wasn’t as famous just yet. “I don’t want that to be a sad thought. It was definitely the happiest times for me,” Gomez concluded. “It was a really pure time.”

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