Francia Raisa has spoken out amid ongoing rumors about her relationship with Selena Gomez following her absence from the star’s wedding
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Francia Raisa has finally addressed ongoing speculation that she and Selena Gomez are no longer friends, after fans noticed she wasn’t at the singer’s wedding.
Gomez underwent a kidney transplant in 2017 after struggling with Lupus, a serious autoimmune condition that can affect the kidneys and other organs.
At the time, the revelation shocked her fans, but it also inspired many when Gomez revealed that Raisa, her close friend and fellow actress, had volunteered to be her kidney donor.
Gomez publicly thanked Raisa in an emotional Instagram post, expressing deep gratitude toward her, her medical team, and her fans who supported her through recovery.
So when Gomez’s wedding to producer Benny Blanco was announced, many assumed Raisa would be among the guests. However, her name was noticeably missing from the guest lists shared online, sparking renewed talk of a possible fallout between the two.
Speaking ahead of the ceremony, Raisa shut down the feud rumors and shared her thoughts about Gomez, offering a heartfelt response to the attention surrounding their relationship.
When Gomez received her kidney she shared a lengthy post about her surgery in 2017
Paul Archuleta/Getty Images for HoliHype and Styledbyambika
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In an interview recorded during a bookstore event, Raisa spoke in Spanish and wished Gomez nothing but happiness for the next chapter of her life.
She said (translated): "I know she's getting married, and I'm very happy for her. And look...she has a life and she is already a billionaire, and I am grateful that I could do that for her."
Raisa went on to explain that some people misunderstand what it means to donate an organ. She emphasized that true donation comes from compassion and the desire to save a life, not from the expectation of a lifelong emotional connection.
She explained: "Look, from the beginning the doctors told me, it's a donation."
"If you are going to donate a dollar to St. Jude or somewhere else, you're not going to call to say, 'Hey, what are you doing with my dollar?'"
"It's a donation and it's something nice that I was able to do. I am grateful that I am alive and I can say that I have saved a life."
Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa in 2017
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Rumors of tension between the two women have circulated before. In 2022, fans speculated about a falling-out after Gomez said in an interview that her “only friend in the industry” was Taylor Swift.
Raisa appeared to respond to the comment by writing “interesting” in a now-deleted Instagram post, which Gomez later replied to by saying, “Sorry didn’t mention everyone I know.”
The exchange fueled talk of a rift between the two, though neither addressed it in detail at the time.
The following year, Gomez again clarified that she holds no ill feelings toward Raisa and deeply values what she did for her. She expressed that the gratitude she feels will never fade.
She said: "'I will never, ever, ever be more in debt to a person that Francia. The idea of someone not even second-guessing to be a donor was unbelievably overwhelming."