Selena Gomez Has Her First Lead TV Role Since ‘Wizards Of Waverly Place’ In A New Hulu Show

Many Selena Gomez fans were first introduced to the superstar through the television thanks to her breakout role as Alex Russo on Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place. In recent years, though, Gomez has focused more on her music career and movie roles, opting to work behind the scenes on TV projects rather than starring in them herself. That's going to change soon, because Selena Gomez's Hulu show Only Murders in the Building will be her long-awaited return to television.

Gomez's new series will pair her with comedy legends Steve Martin and Martin Short, as the three play lead roles in the upcoming sitcom about three strangers who are all obsessed with true crime and then find themselves wrapped up in one. Gomez will also executive produce Only Murders in the Building alongside her co-stars Martin and Short.

The new show is not only exciting because Gomez will get to show off her comedy chops alongside legends, but also because it will mark Gomez's first starring TV role in years. Gomez's only major television role prior to Only Murders in the Building was as the rebellious young wizard Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place. The Disney Channel series aired from 2007 to 2012, ending with a special finale episode in 2013.

Since Wizards of Waverly Place ended, Gomez has cemented herself as one of the most prominent pop stars in the world, and she shifted her acting career to predominantly film roles, such as Spring Breakers, The Fundamentals of Caring, and the Hotel Transylvania film series. While Gomez has continued working in television, she's opted to remain behind the scenes, most notably as the executive producer for Netflix's hit teen series 13 Reasons Why.

Only Murders in the Building isn't the only new TV project Gomez has cooking. The Hulu announcement came shortly after Gomez revealed the trailer for her HBO Max cooking show Selena + Chef. Filmed in quarantine amid the coronavirus pandemic, the series will show Gomez learning new recipes from various professional chefs via video-chat. Selena + Chef will debut on HBO Max on Thursday, Aug. 13, but fans will have to wait a while for Only Murders in the Building hit Hulu. Hopefully the comedy series will be able to enter production soon enough and can premiere sometime in 2021.