Who is the 30-year-old singer most excited to share the Apple TV documentary with?
My mom hasnt seen it yet, and Im actually really excited, she says slowly.
She wanted to wait to watch it with me.
Shes been really supportive, and were in a really good place about it, so Im happy.
At the time, Gomez disclosed that she was experiencing anxiety and depression following a 2014 diagnosis oflupus.
Selena, youve spent your entire adult life being famous.
Is it hard to make female friends as an adult?
SG: I mean, its so hard.
Its so hard to find genuine people.
Ive known Raquelle for 10 years, and we put in the work.
Weve had the fights and gone through it all.
But it is hard.
I dont know how to make new friends now.
Its just… its hard to trust people.
CO: Alek, I wonder how friendship factors into your role when youre filming.
AK:No, I would say I absolutely become a friend.
I become more than a friend; Im almost like a brother.
I feel a great deal of protectiveness towards my subjects and a great deal of empathy.
She was just so vulnerable and authentic and didnt have any artifice to her.
But I earned her trust over time.
Id be very much hiding under covers at that point.
SG:[Laughs] Sometimes I was like, Oh, here we go.
And Id always go, Its for a bigger purpose.
We would say that sometimes to each other.
And by contrast, I was struck by how little I saw you on your phone in the documentary.
What kind of relationship do you have with your phone and technology now?
Todays just two hours.
CO: Thats not bad!
I think thats quite good.
I spend like 30 minutes, if that, on TikTok.
It’s definitely not daily, and I think that is a healthy thing for me.
[Otherwise] it stresses me out.
Do you prefer TikTok?
CO: People with big audiences like Selena can share so much of their life on social media now.
Alek, what do you think the appeal is of the documentary format versus say, live streaming?
They say in a documentary, ideally both the subject and the filmmaker change from the experience.
How have you changed?
AK: I have changed a lot in terms of what’s important in my life.
I think Ive become a softer, kinder human being.
CO: Thats a very wonderful legacy from a project.
SG: Oh gosh.
Once you start having a great relationship with yourself, it really helps put perspective into my work.
But youre definitely right on the whole vanity thing of music in L.A. Its hard.
CO: What counts as a good day for you now?
SG:Oh, um, not having intrusive thoughts.
[But] I love my imagination.
I think thats a part of creating, and its a part of my job.
And I enjoy that.
I think she almost appreciated there was a witness to the chaos of that time.
Someone to be like, Its not my imagination, right?
But actually theres some difficulties that come with it.
So that wasnt difficult to film, but there were days that were difficult logistically.
SG: [Laughs] Yes.
CO: Selena, has it felt validating to see it all?
The journey and the progress laid out?
SG: Its not validating…
I feel like Im releasing, like Im exhaling.
I dont know why.
How do you feel about doing promo this time around?
SG:You know, its been great.
I think I get more anxious when people ask me unnecessary, mundane things.
And then I get pissed [laughs].
I could talk about that forever.
[Laughs] Its a love-hate relationship.
This article was originally published onNovember 2, 2022
