Selena Gomez stopped working with her parents in 2014 (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for SiriusXM)

Selena Gomez’s acting and singing career skyrocketed at an early age. It is not uncommon for a celebrity to have a manager by their side and Gomez was propelled into acting by her mother, Mandy Teefey. According to the Daily Mail, Selena Gomez owed some of her early Disney success to her mother.

Her mom and stepfather, Brian Teefey became her managers when she landed her role as Alex Russo in Wizards of Waverly Place. In 2014, TMZ reported that the Love On singer had ‘fired’ her parents from their positions as managers. According to The Standard, Gomez’s parents were slightly shocked and did not realize that they had been fired. In a later interview with TMZ, Mandy Teefey opened up about her daughter’s decision.

Mandy Teefey addresses Selena Gomez’s decision to fire her parents as managers

After finding success as a Disney teen icon, a source told TMZ that Selena Gomez felt that she had outgrown her parents. The Rare Beauty founder felt ready to work with a professional manager who has previously worked with other celebrities. According to US Weekly, Selena Gomez had signed Bradford Cobb, who also previously managed Katy Perry and Adam Lambert, as her manager.

Gomez’s parents were surprised to learn that their daughter had fired them and “didn’t realize” it until they saw the TMZ news. Mandy told TMZ that she thought the conversation they had with Gomez early in the year was “just talk.” Teefey told The Evening Standard that they sat down with their daughter and asked her if she was “absolutely sure” about her decision.

In a 2018 interview with Gossip Cop, Mandy stood by her daughter’s decisions and clarified,

“We never expected to manage her her whole life.”

She added,

“We lost family time because the only time we saw her, we talked business. It was no longer fun for any of us, like it was when she was younger and we had to be with her because she was a minor.”

In the end, Selena’s parents respected her decision and gave her the space to figure out her career. According to People magazine, around the same time, Selena also signed a new record deal with Interscope and ended her Kmart clothing line, Dream Out Loud. Gomez also reflected on her time without working with her parents and noted,

“I wanted to be my own person. I wanted to test myself. I wanted to see if I could really do it.”

She told W magazine,

“I was like, ‘Mom, I gotta figure it out on my own.”

Mandy Teefey and Brian Teefey are Selena’s biggest fans

Even though Gomez’s parents are not her managers, they continue to be a strong and active support. Her parents worked with her in The Sky Is Everywhere released in 2022. Mandy Teefey also co-produced 13 Reasons Why with Gomez. Additionally, the Only Murders In The Building star has co-founded the mental health organization, Wondermind, with Teefey.

Gomez has appreciated the support she has received from her parents over the years. In an interview with TIME Firsts, she said,

“Everything that I am has kind of become a little bit of what my mom has gone through. She had the ability to make me feel like I was still capable of doing anything I wanted.”

According to Booking Agent, Selena Gomez is currently represented by managers Aleen Keshishian and Zack Morgenroth. Even though Gomez’s parents aren’t her managers anymore, they have continued to support her career both emotionally and professionally.