When Selena Gomez Said She Was ‘Naive’ to Film R-rated Spring Breakers Post Wizards of Waverly Place

Selena Gomez recalls being naive when taking up her Spring Breakers role 12 years ago. Read on to know the details.

Written by Ipshita Chakraborty , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Mar 18, 2025 | 03:01 PM GMT | 4.5K

CC: Instagram

Selena Gomez looks back on the daring movie that marked a career change for her after her Disney days. Twelve years have passed since Spring Breakers opened in theaters, jolting viewers with its hardcore portrayal of crime and revolution.

Spring Breakers, helmed by Harmony Korine, featured Selena Gomez, High School Musical's Vanessa Hudgens, Pretty Little Liars' Ashley Benson, and Mr. Lonely's Rachel Korine. They starred as Florida spring break-crashing college girlfriends who go out and commit a crime to afford their out-of-control party trip — and soon become ensnared by an enigmatic drug dealer, portrayed by James Franco.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Gomez remembered looking for something more provocative after her extended stint on her famous Disney show, Wizards of Waverly Place. Running into Korine, she was attracted to his offbeat style.

Gomez recounted, "We had done over 100 episodes of Wizards and two movies for Wizards, and then I did a few lovely, cute projects in between that I'm grateful for, and then I met with [director Harmony Korine]."

She added, "I love interesting filmmakers, and he was so colorful, and he had so many different ways of auditioning me. It was more like, 'Who are you, and what is that like?'"

Even at 18, Gomez said she felt more mature than she actually was — something she now finds herself chuckling about. She recalled talking to Hudgens about the R-rating of the movie, thinking her young fans wouldn't watch it because of the ban.

"I remember I thought I was so mature. I'm sure I sounded like I was 12," Gomez recalled. Looking back, she was laughing at how naive she had been.

The Emilia Perez star added, "I was like, 'Well, technically, the movie is rated R, so [my young fans] are not allowed to see it, so they won't see it.' And Vanessa's like, 'Ohh-kay...' I was so naive."

The movie quickly gained cult status, and it was a turning point for Gomez and Hudgens, moving them from being Disney Channel sweethearts to playing more adult, complex characters.

Despite the controversy that has surrounded the film's content, Selena Gomez still regards Spring Breakers as a project she is proud to have worked on, praising its bold, artistic originality. The movie can be streamed on Apple TV and Hulu.