Selena Gomez Playboy Magazine March 2013 ~upd~ -
The story began with a digitally altered image that appeared online, supposedly showing the March 2013 cover of Playboy featuring a topless Selena Gomez. This image was actually a sophisticated fake—an act of internet "photoshopping" where Gomez's head was seamlessly grafted onto the body of an existing Playboy model. In the picture, the model (with Gomez's face) is seen provocatively lifting her shirt.
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 rumor gained massive traction due to several perfectly timed real-world factors:
March 2013 was one of the most pivotal months of Selena Gomez’s career. Instead of appearing in adult magazines, she was aggressively rebranding herself as a mature actress and solo pop artist.
Gomez's appearance in Playboy did not seem to have a significant negative impact on her career. In fact, it may have even helped to boost her profile and appeal to a wider audience. At the time, she was promoting her album "Stars Dance," which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. Selena Gomez Playboy Magazine March 2013
The photo shoot, which was conducted by celebrity photographer, Mario Testino, featured Gomez posing in a variety of outfits and settings. While some of the shots were more conservative, others featured Gomez in more revealing attire, including a black lace bodysuit and a pair of high-waisted jeans.
Featured two covers shot by Terry Richardson, focusing on her appeal to a more mature, high-fashion audience. Interview Magazine (March 2013): Graced the cover of the March issue. Cosmopolitan:
: In the early 2010s, blog culture and social media aggregators frequently mislabeled celebrity photos to drive clicks. Images from Benson’s shoot—and promotional stills of Gomez from Spring Breakers —were routinely mixed up, leading users to believe an entirely different, explicit magazine spread existed. The Power of 2013 Internet Hoaxes
Cross-check multiple reliable outlets
Another major factor that fueled the rumor mill was a specific magazine feature involving one of Gomez's co-stars.
: In March 2013, the film Spring Breakers was released in theaters. Gomez starred as a bikini-clad party girl, a role that was widely discussed as her "breakout" from her wholesome Disney Channel image.
In March 2013, Gomez appeared on the late-night show to officially confirm her high-profile breakup with Justin Bieber, generating massive headlines.
While she never modeled for them, the magazine's official channels have occasionally interacted with her public image: The "Open Invitation": In April 2013, the official Playboy Twitter The story began with a digitally altered image
The cover story, titled "Selena Gomez: The Girl Next Door," showcased Gomez in a more mature and sultry light, posing in lingerie and bikinis. The photos were taken by renowned photographer, Mario Testino.
".@vanessahudgens & @selenagomez now have an open invitation to the next Mansion party."
Below is an extensive look at how this internet myth was born, what Gomez was actually doing in March 2013, and how the media landscape fueled the rumor. Anatomy of an Internet Myth: How the Rumor Started