In the same month the fake Playboy cover circulated, Gomez was actually on the covers of Harper's Bazaar , photographed by the famous (and controversial) Terry Richardson. In the accompanying interview, she emphasized her focus on her career and her own life, telling the magazine, "I do not give a damn what I look like, I don't" . This was a direct and powerful statement from an artist in control of her own narrative, not one being used by a men's magazine for a photoshopped cover.
: Selena described the edgy role as "liberating" and a necessary step to be taken seriously as an actress. Selena Gomez Playboy Magazine March 2013
In the spring of 2013, the internet was set ablaze by a viral rumor claiming that Selena Gomez had posed for the cover of Playboy magazine. For millions of fans who grew up watching her on the Disney Channel, the very idea that Gomez—then fresh off her wholesome Wizards of Waverly Place era—had stripped down for the iconic men's lifestyle magazine was shocking. In the same month the fake Playboy cover
: Selena posed for a black-and-white, partially nude cover for her album . In 2022, she admitted she felt : Selena described the edgy role as "liberating"
The Curious Case of the Selena Gomez March 2013 Playboy Rumor
In March 2013, the internet was flooded with rumors and viral images claiming that Disney star had posed for the cover of Playboy Magazine . However, despite the intense speculation and highly convincing images circulating at the time, Selena Gomez did not pose for Playboy in March 2013.
The rumors gained traction because March 2013 was a pivotal moment in Gomez's career. She was actively trying to shed her squeaky-clean "Disney teen idol" image, but she chose artistic, mainstream avenues to do so: