They were seven. Just two kids standing in a long, humid line in North Texas, waiting for a shot at a purple dinosaur. Most people think the "Delena" origin story is some carefully crafted PR move by Disney, but the reality is way more organic. Honestly, if you saw them back then—Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato—they weren't stars. They were just two little girls who liked to perform, and they happened to be standing right next to each other at an open call for Barney & Friends.
That’s where it started.
The Audition That Changed Everything
Imagine a cattle call in 2002. You've got hundreds of stage parents and kids in glittery vests. Selena was there with her mom; Demi was there with hers. They didn't know each other from Adam. But as the story goes, they hit it off immediately. While the adults were stressing, the girls were basically becoming inseparable before they even had the job.
Director Fred Holmes later mentioned that you could just tell they clicked. It wasn't just "kid actor" chemistry; it was real. They both landed the gig, joining the cast for Season 7. Selena became Gianna, and Demi became Angela.
It’s kinda wild to look back at that footage now. You see these two future titans of pop culture dancing around a guy in a giant rubber suit. They weren't just background extras, either. They were "Series Regulars." If you watch the 2002 episode "All Aboard!", that’s Demi’s big debut. Selena followed two days later in "Tea-riffic Manners."
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Life on the Barney Set: No, It Wasn't All Sunshines and Hugs
People love to romanticize child stardom, but the Barney & Friends set was a grind. These kids had to have a level of maturity that most seven-year-olds lack. They were filming multiple episodes a week, doing school on set, and dealing with the weirdness of "Barney" himself.
Fun fact: Demi, Selena, and their co-star Hayden Tweedie all reportedly had a crush on Carey Stinson. Who was he? The guy inside the Barney suit. It's funny because, to the rest of the world, Barney was this polarizing figure, but to those girls, the set was their entire world. They ate lunch together every day. They practiced their lines together.
But it wasn't always easy. Demi has been pretty open lately about the fact that she struggled even then. In some interviews, she’s mentioned being suicidal as young as seven. While Selena recalls the Barney days as a "wonderful memory" where she learned everything about the industry, Demi’s experience was tinted by the bullying she faced at school. Imagine being eight years old and having kids make fun of you because you're on a show for preschoolers. That's a lot for a kid to carry.
Why the Barney Connection Still Matters in 2026
You might wonder why we’re still talking about a show that ended years ago. It’s because the barney demi lovato selena gomez era set the blueprint for the modern "Disney Star." Without Barney, there is no Wizards of Waverly Place. There is no Camp Rock.
The producers eventually let them go around 2004. Why? Because they grew too tall. That’s the brutal reality of children’s television. Once you start losing teeth and hitting growth spurts, the purple dinosaur moves on. But by then, the bond was sealed. They moved from the Barney set to the Disney Channel, essentially walking through the fire of fame together.
The "Ask Taylor" Incident and the Years of Shade
We have to talk about the messy parts. You can't mention their friendship without the famous "Ask Taylor" clip from 2010. A fan in London asked Demi how Selena was doing, and Demi—clearly annoyed—snapped back with "Ask Taylor!"
This was the first time the public realized that the Barney bond could break. Selena had started hanging out with Taylor Swift, and Demi felt left behind. It’s a classic story: childhood best friends drifting apart when a new, shiny friend enters the mix.
- 2008: They were vlogging together on YouTube, doing the "Silly Handshake."
- 2010: The rift began.
- 2011: They reunited at the Teen Choice Awards, and fans thought all was well.
- 2014: Demi unfollowed Selena, later saying people just "grow apart."
- 2020: Demi told Harper’s Bazaar point-blank: "I'm not friends with her."
It’s been a rollercoaster. They’ve gone from being "One and the Same" (remember that song?) to basically being strangers who occasionally like each other's Instagram posts.
Where Do They Stand Now?
Fast forward to the present. It’s 2026, and the landscape has shifted again. Selena is a mogul with Rare Beauty and a massive acting career. Demi has pivoted back to her rock roots and is much more selective about her public life.
The coolest thing happened recently, though. In a 2025 interview, Selena went out of her way to praise her old costars. She mentioned Miley, the Jonas Brothers, and—with a very specific emphasis—Demi. She said it was "good to see them all do their thing."
Then, just a few months ago, Demi was spotted jamming out to Selena’s new music. She even called one of the tracks her "favorite song." It seems the "Barney era" resentment has finally given way to "adult era" respect. They might not be getting dinner every Friday night, but they aren't enemies anymore.
Actionable Insights: Lessons from the Barney Era
If you’re a fan or just someone fascinated by the industry, there are a few things we can learn from the careers of these two.
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- Start with the Basics: Both stars attribute their professional discipline to those early days on the Barney set. If you want to make it in a competitive field, those early "boring" years of learning the ropes matter.
- Friendships Evolve: It’s okay if you aren't best friends with the person you knew at seven. The "Delena" drama taught us that people change, and that's not a failure; it’s just growth.
- The Power of Shared History: No matter how much they fought, they will always have that shared experience of being the only two people in the world who went from Barney to superstardom together.
If you're looking to dive deeper into their early work, you can actually find many of the old Barney & Friends Season 7 episodes on streaming platforms or physical media. It’s a trip to see them before the Grammys and the Golden Globes—just two kids in Texas, singing about how much they love you.
Next Steps:
- Check out the Season 7 premiere "All Aboard!" to see Demi Lovato’s very first professional acting appearance.
- Look for the episode "Tea-riffic Manners" to see Selena Gomez’s debut as Gianna.
- Compare their early vocal performances on the show to their current discography to see how much their range has developed over twenty years.