Selena Gomez reveals surprising moment in career when she was 'happiest'

Selena Gomez got candid during a recent interview with the New York Times to promote her newest project, "Thirteen Reasons Why."

The Netflix film, which Gomez executive produced, centers on a high schooler who blames 13 people for her suicide. Gomez has previously been an open book when it comes to her own struggles with the pressures of fame, cyberbullying and acceptance in the age of social media scrutiny, and she continued that trend in this revealing new interview.

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"When I was on 'Wizards of Waverly Place,' we didn't have social media really. Twitter had just begun," she explained. "Every Friday, I'd get to do a live taping in front of all these little kids and make their life. That's when I was the happiest. Then, as I got older, I watched it go from zero to a hundred. So I'm actually glad it took us this long to create this project because it's so relevant now."

Gomez, whose 114 million Instagram followers make her the most-followed person on the social media platform, checked herself into a rehab facility last year after a grueling tour in an effort to recuperate and treat her anxiety.

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Though she was able to temporarily take a break from being a celebrity and post on social media, she admitted that it's impossible to completely get away from.

"You can't avoid it sometimes," she said. "I delete the app from my phone at least once a week. You fixate on the [negative] ones. They're not like, 'You're ugly.' It's like they want to cut to your soul. Imagine all the insecurities that you already feel about yourself and having someone write a paragraph pointing out every little thing -- even if it's just physical."

Gomez also got real about her acting career. The "Hands To Myself" singer said that she "could do any tomboy/teen princess movie in the world if [she] wanted to," but she doesn't. She wants "to be a part of projects that have value" and "really matter."

But that's not as easy as it sounds, she explained.

"Sometimes I feel defeated. I'll audition for a part that I feel very passionate about, meet with people, tell them I'm willing to go places. I think they think I won't go there. To be honest, I don't think it's going to happen anytime soon for me. I think I look really young and image-wise, it's difficult for people to grasp. But early on, my mom taught me that sometimes you just have to create those projects for yourself. That's what I want this to be: a launching pad."

So, will "Thirteen Reasons Why" prove to be a new beginning for Selena Gomez? We'll see. The film premieres on Netflix on Friday, March 31.

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