Q&A: Selena Gomez

The star of Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place talks about ruling the new teen scene with BFF Demi Lovato.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Tell me about meeting Demi at an audition for Barney & Friends 10 years ago.
SELENA GOMEZ: It was scorching hot, July. We were in line with 1,400 kids and we happened to be standing right next to each other. She had a little bow in her hair, and she turned around and she looked at me and said, ”Do you want to color?” She laid her blue jean jacket down and we started to color. And after that we had a couple of callbacks, and I saw her from the other side of the room and it was kind of a movie moment. We still joke about it. We were inseparable after doing two seasons together, and our moms are best friends now. Later, we homeschooled together, went on auditions together, everything. And her mom even took me to the audition that got me on the Disney Channel!

Is it hard for people to believe that you’re not competitive with each other?
Yes! You know, it’s hard for me to believe that as well. Because when it comes down to it, we’re 16-year-old girls. But we’ve both been working since we were 6 to get where we are, and we’re just there to be proud of each other. We both know we’re really, really lucky girls.

There are a lot of rumors that you’re dating a Jonas Brother, Nick. Is that true?
They’re really great guys [giggles]. I’m not confirming, but I’m not denying.