Selena Gomez Playboy Magazine March 2013 Patched Instant

Reports suggested that while Playboy had historically offered substantial sums to Disney-affiliated stars like Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus, both had consistently refused.

However, this highly circulated image was completely debunked as a photoshopped fake. The rumor mill spun out of control, but the truth remains that Selena Gomez has never posed for Playboy.

The story of the Selena Gomez Playboy cover is ultimately a story about the power of digital manipulation. Long before the term "deepfake" entered the public lexicon, this incident highlighted how quickly convincing fakes could spread across the internet and become accepted as truth. It remains a prominent example used to remind fans to be critical consumers of online content. selena gomez playboy magazine march 2013 patched

"@VanessaHudgens & @SelenaGomez now have an open invitation to the next Mansion party."

: A racy shoot that helped shed her "bubble gum" image. The story of the Selena Gomez Playboy cover

co-star Vanessa Hudgens to a party at the Playboy Mansion after seeing their "hard-partying" roles in the film. Declined Offers

: She was the cover star for the April 2013 issue (released in early March), shot by Terry Richardson. "@VanessaHudgens & @SelenaGomez now have an open invitation

When the issue was released in March 2013, it sparked a lot of backlash and criticism from fans, parents, and critics. Many people felt that the photoshoot was too racy and explicit, and that it wasn't suitable for a young star like Selena Gomez, who was only 20 years old at the time.