A Brief History of Disney Teen Stars

Selena Gomez
Having decided it needed a Latina star, the casting  folks at Disney Channel cast a wide net and looked at thousands
Everett

Selena Gomez
Having decided it needed a Latina star, the casting folks at Disney Channel cast a wide net and looked at thousands of kids. They chose one: Selena Gomez, who plays slacker Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place, one of the rare Disney shows that's not about show biz. She released her first album in September.

Get the Latest Photos from Time.com
Get TIME photos and pictures of the week delivered directly to your inbox.