Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty
ActressesSelena GomezandFrancia Raisahave been through life’s ups and downs together.
Raisadonated a kidneyto the “Love You Like a Love Song” singer in 2017. At the time, Gomez was struggling with life-threatening health issues due to complications from lupus.
In November 2022, fans began to speculate about the state of their friendship after Gomez toldRolling Stonethat her “only friend” in the entertainment industry isTaylor Swift. For nearly a year, Raisa and Gomez avoided directly speaking about their rumored rift and eventually mended fences ahead of Gomez’s Rare Impact Fund benefit in November 2023.
“We missed each other,” theHow I Met Your Fatherstar told PEOPLE.
Below is a full timeline ofSelena Gomezand Francia Raisa’s friendship.
2007: Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa meet at a charity event
Though their friendship didn’t become the stuff of social media obsession until much later, Gomez and Raisa actually go way back. The two met while the former still worked for Disney and Raisa was on ABC’sThe Secret Life of the American Teenager.
“Disney and ABC Family had the stars of their shows go to the Children’s Hospital,” Raisa toldLatinamagazine, PopSugar reports. “Selena and I were in the same group and we just clicked.”
October 2015: Selena Gomez reveals lupus diagnosis
In 2015, fans of the formerWizards of Waverly Placestar noticed she had been quieter than usual on social media.
Gomez would go on to reveal she was diagnosed with lupus in an Oct. 2015 interview with Billboard. “I’ve been through chemotherapy,” she explained. “That’s what my break was really about. I could’ve had a stroke.”
She underscored that people speculating about her medical condition was deeply upsetting.
“I wanted so badly to say, ‘You guys have no idea. I’m in chemotherapy,” she stated at the time. “But I was angry I even felt the need to say that. It’s awful walking into a restaurant and having the whole room look at you, knowing what they’re saying. I locked myself away until I was confident and comfortable again.”
Francia Raisa and Selena Gomez.Selena Gomez Instagram
September 2017: Selena Gomez reveals Francia Raisa gave her a kidney
After taking another noticeable break from her social media, Gomezrevealed she had undergone a kidney transplant— and that Raisa had been the kidney donor.
Gomez posted a sweet picture of the two of them laying in hospital beds holding hands post-surgery.
“I’m very aware some of my fans had noticed I was laying low for part of the summer and questioning why I wasn’t promoting my new music, which I was extremely proud of,” Gomez wrote. “So I found out I needed to get a kidney transplant due to my Lupus and was recovering. It was what I needed to do for my overall health.”
Raisa also spoke out about the decision to donate her kidney, saying, “I am beyond grateful that God would trust me with something that not only saved a life, but changed mine in the process. This was part of our story, and we will share it soon, but what is important now is that this is not the only story.”
October 2017: Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa speak about the surgery in a joint interview
In an exclusive interview withToday Show’sSavannah Guthrie, the stars opened up about the process and how Raisa showed up for Gomez in her moment of need.
“She lived with me in this interesting moment where my kidneys were just done,” Gomez told Guthrie. “That was it and I didn’t want to ask a single person in my life [to donate a kidney]. The thought of asking someone in my life to do that was very difficult for me. She volunteered and did it.”
And while Raisa was completely on board with helping her friend, the process was still scary. “[I feared for my own health]. I had to write a will which was scary because there’s no guarantee you’ll wake up.”
December 2017: Selena Gomez receives Woman of the Year Award and honors Francia Raisa
During her acceptance speech, however, Gomez acknowledged the moment wouldn’t have been possible without Raisa’s friendship.
“I think Francia should be getting this award,“Gomez said through tears. “She saved my life… I feel incredibly lucky.”
March 2018: Francia Raisa opens up about post-surgery depression
Raisa detailed her difficult healing process the following year.
“It’s harder as the donor because we are losing something our body didn’t need to lose,” Raisa explained onHarry Connick Jr.’s daytime talk showHarry.
“I couldn’t do anything active … I couldn’t move for two months,” she said. “That was very hard for me. I have a dog, and every day the thing I look forward to in the morning is drinking my coffee and walking him, and I couldn’t do that. It was really, really hard.”
In another candid interview withSelf,theGrown-ishactress also revealedshe and Gomez both went through a depressionafter surgery, though they had both been prepared for the possibility.
Raisa recalled a social worker explaining to her ahead of the procedure: “‘The recipient is going to glow and she’s going to recover a lot faster than the donor because she’s getting something she needs and you are losing something you don’t need to lose. It’s going to be hard.'”
“And it was hard,” she admitted. “Selena and I both went through a depression.”
Vivien Killilea/Getty
December 2019: Selena Gomez reveals she got matching tribute tattoos with Francia Raisa
During aninterview with Capital FM, the “Fetish” singer revealed she and Raisa had gotten matching ink to pay homage to the difficult time they underwent.
“I actually got the date of when I got my kidney transplant,” she told the station. “And I did that with the girl that gave me her kidney.”
She laterdebuted the tattooin her 2020 music video for “Rare.”
March 2021: Selena Gomez thanks Francia Raisa on World Kidney Day
To commemorate World Kidney Day 2021, Raisa said that after keeping the details of the transplant fairly private,she was ready to speak more on itand educate the masses about different kidney diseases.
“If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I’ve kept my kidney donation process pretty private,“Raisa wrote on Twitter. “However, I think I’ve gotten to a point in my life where I feel comfortable and confident in speaking about my experience, and using my platform to raise awareness for the various kidney diseases that affect our population.”
She continued, “So in honor of World Kidney Day, let’s talk about the impact of kidney disease and how we can work to ensure those living with kidney disease are living well.”
Gomez was on board with Raisa’s goal to educate and advocate asshe shared the postand wrote: “Thank you for blessing me. I am forever grateful to you.”
Francia Raisa and Selena Gomez.Selena Gomez Tik Tok
July 2022: Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa post a funny TikTok together
In July 2022, Gomez and Raisa’s friendship seemed to be going stronger than ever as theOnly Murders in the Buildingstarposted a TikTok of the two of themhaving fun with the “He’s a 10 but…” TikTok challenge.
Queries in play were: “He’s a 10 but his breath stinks,” “He’s a 10 but he only role-playsStar Wars,“and “He’s a 10 but he doesn’t like dogs.”
The pair could be seen laughing and giggling throughout the whole video.
November 2022: Francia Raisa reacts to Selena Gomez’sRolling Stonequote
In an interview withRolling Stonemagazine, Gomez opened up about the struggle to find her voice within the industry and said she doesn’t have many famous friends.
“I never fit in with a cool group of girls that were celebrities. My only friend in the industry really is Taylor [Swift], so I remember feeling like I didn’t belong,” she said, reflecting on living in the spotlight. “I felt the presence of everyone around me living full lives. I had this position, and I was really happy, but…was I? Do these materialistic things make me happy?”
AfterE! News used the first half of the quotein an Instagram celebrating Swift and Gomez’s friendship, Raisa reportedly commented, “Interesting” under the post, and then later deleted it.
July 26, 2023: Selena Gomez celebrates Francia Raisa’s birthday
Selena Gomez Instagram
Gomez marked Raisa’s35th birthdaywith a sweet Instagram post. She shared photos of the two spending time together, including a snap of them smiling as they held champagne flutes.
“Happiest of birthdays to this special human being,” the actress wrote inthe caption. “No matter where life takes us, I love you. ❤️ @franciaraisa.”
Raisa liked the post andre-followed Gomez on Instagram.
August 1, 2023: Francia Raisa addresses rumored rift between her and Selena Gomez
During an interview on theGood Guyspodcast, Raisa stated that there is “no beef” between her and Gomez. TheHow I Met Your Fatherstar added that her life has been “super blessed” since donating her left kidney to the “Who Says” singer.
“I just felt it in my heart. I knew I was a match,” Raisa said. “No one forced me to do anything. It came out of the genuine kindness of my heart.”
October 4, 2023: Francia Raisa supports Selena Gomez at Rare Impact Fund benefit
Nearly a year after their rumored rift began, Raisa attended Gomez’s benefit for the Rare Impact Fund.
“Well, she has a piece of my body, so [it’s] super important,” theLife-Size 2actress told PEOPLE, referring to her friendship with the “Who Says” singer. “But honestly, aside from that — regardless of that, I think we just missed each other.”
Raisa continued: “Even though we’ve had our zigzags in life, we could still come together and be friends and still have our old times. I’m just soglad that we’re back together.”
source: people.com
