Selena Gomez talks getting more political while in quarantine

CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty ImagesSelena Gomez kept busy in quarantine filming her HBO Max cooking show Selena + Chef, prepping the launch of Rare Beauty and taking on new producing projects. But she tells Variety’s The Big Ticket podcast tha…

By ABC Audio on September 11, 2020

CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty ImagesSelena Gomez kept busy in quarantine filming her HBO Max cooking show Selena + Chef, prepping the launch of Rare Beauty and taking on new producing projects. But she tells Variety’s The Big Ticket podcast that in addition to all that, quarantine gave her the opportunity to learn more about our country than she ever had before.

“I feel like I’ve gained a sense of knowledge and a sense of feeling good about saying what I’m saying, and I feel good about what I’m standing by, and I’m not going to let other opinions conduct what I feel personally,” she says.

She also took action, lending her massive Instagram platform to voices in the Black community like Stacey Abrams and transgender activist Raquel Willis. She says supporting Black Lives Matter in that way was a “no-brainer” for her.

“When all of that started happening, I felt like there wasn’t much I can say,” Selena explains. “I’m obviously half Mexican, and I’m from Texas, and that’s a whole other community that gets attacked, but I felt it was necessary to give my platform to someone who does have that experience.”

Although 2020 has been a challenging year for many, Selena says she still has hope for America.

“One thousand percent — that’s something I’ll never let go of,” she says. “My friend sent me a news story that said statistically, my generation and maybe younger has shown less interest in voting than ever. It didn’t make sense because if anything, why wouldn’t we be more motivated to do that?”

By Andrea Tuccillo
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