She's the kind of actress, pop singer and fashionista most chicas love to follow and admire. But when we asked Selena Gomez who she looked up to, she had only one answer: the first Selena. "I was named after Selena Quintanilla, and I looked up to her growing up. I loved her music. I watched her movie over and over again. I went to Corpus Christie [Texas]; I saw her grave and her home. That's someone I definitely look up to," says Gomez.

Like Quintanilla, Gomez was raised in Texas in a family who celebrated its Mexican roots and made Latin culture its own. The Latina actress reportedly grew up celebrating Quinceañeras and having Sunday asados after church. And when it comes to comida mexicana, she names pork tamales as her favorite dish, but says she's afraid nothing good will come out if she's the one preparing them.

Gomez was discovered by the Disney Channel at age 12, and this opportunity eventually led her to star in the hit show The Wizards of Waverly Place. Now, at age 20, this Latina is launching a bustling career in entertainment with more grown up tastes and interests which not only include her singing and acting, but an entire business enterprise of clothing and perfume lines. But as much as she is known for her talent, Gomez is also known for his year-old relationship with singing sensation, Justin Bieber. "I've been in love a couple of times; I think I'm in love with love," says the popular Latina entertainer.

Selena Gomez voices the role of Mavis in the new movie "Hotel Transylvania" in theaters September 28th.