Washington, December 12
Selena Gomez recently reflected on her bond with her mother, Mandy Teefey, and how her mother protected her while navigating the entertainment industry.
"My mom had me when she was 16," Gomez said, as reported by People.
"I do feel that we grew up together, and that's a different perspective than someone who would wait until they're older to have a child," the singer and actress shared during a recent interview where she sat down with Saoirse Ronan.
"I am so grateful that we were there for each other. It felt very Gilmore Girls," she added.
Gilmore Girls is an American comedy-drama TV series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham (as Lorelai Gilmore) and Alexis Bledel (as Rory Gilmore). The show follows a 32-year-old single mother, Lorelai, and her teenage daughter, Rory, whom she had at the age of 16.
Discussing how her mother supported her in the industry, Gomez said, "My mom was fantastic. She would never put me in a room by myself; she was very aware of things that I didn't know. For example, if I had to go to a premiere when I was 16, she'd say, 'You can't go to the after-party. You can have fun, and then you're going to go home.' Little things like that helped my sanity," she explained, as per People.
Gomez has often spoken about her unique bond with her mother. "My mom gave up everything for me and had, like, three jobs," she said in a previous interview.
Teefey has also been candid about the challenges she faced as a teen mother. "I was very judged for being a teen mom," she once said. "My neighbourhood was really rough, with gangs and all that stuff. When I got pregnant, I thought, 'Okay, I have another person depending on me. I need to get straight.' That's when I started pushing forward. I told myself, 'I'm not going to let her have the upbringing I did.'"
Gomez, who "got to play a mom in Emilia Perez," described the experience as "very sweet" but admitted it was intimidating, as reported by People.
On December 9, Gomez was nominated for two Golden Globes 2025 awards. She received nominations for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture for Emilia Perez and Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series -- Musical or Comedy for Only Murders in the Building.
Reacting to the news, Gomez took to Instagram to express her gratitude to the teams behind both projects. She also shared a video on her Instagram Story capturing the emotional moment she learned about her nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for Emilia Perez.
In the clip, Gomez is seen sitting on her couch as her name is announced. She covers her face with her hands and exclaims, "Oh my God!" before hearing Ariana Grande's name called in the same category for her performance in Wicked. Gomez then adds, "Oh my God, Ari! I can't believe [it]!"
"I don't even know what to write," Gomez wrote on the video. "I'm so proud of @zoesaldana, and I am so grateful and honoured @goldenglobes."
In another post, she expressed her admiration, writing, "Mi amor, I am so proud and grateful to know you!"
The nominations mark a unique moment as Selena Gomez and Ariana Grande, two prominent musical stars, compete for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for Any Motion Picture, making this a rare instance of musicians vying against each other at the Golden Globes.