Selena Gomez shares love for Francia Raísa, silencing rumors

Kidney donor drama? Nope. Selena Gomez wishes ‘special’ Francia Raísa a happy birthday

Separate head-and-shoulders images of Francia Raísa, left, and Selena Gomez, both smiling.

By Nardine SaadStaff Writer

July 27, 2023 11:35 AM PT

Selena Gomez seemed to extend an olive branch to actor and kidney donor Francia Raísa on the latter’s 35th birthday.

The “Only Murders in the Building” star posted a tribute to Raísa on her Instagram grid Wednesday, wishing her donor a happy birthday and hitting a conciliatory note.

“Happiest of birthdays to this special human being,” Gomez wrote. “No matter where life takes us, I love you.”

The “My Mind & Me” singer’s post accompanied three images of her with the “How I Met Your Father” actor and was quickly hailed in comments as her “shutting down those drama allegations with EASE.”

Gomez’s missive comes months after the friends appeared on the outs following a perceived snub in Gomez’s November 2022 interview with Rolling Stone. Raísa famously donated a kidney to Gomez in 2017 as the latter’s battle with lupus intensified. The actors, who had been friends for more than a decade and referred to each other as sisters, shared several details of the “ultimate gift” they gave each other on social media and in interviews at the time. (Some of those social posts have since been removed.)

But that bond appeared to loosen when Raísa took issue with Gomez’s remarks in Rolling Stone about another high-profile pal, Taylor Swift, whom Gomez referred to as her “only friend in the industry.” Raísa deemed the comment “interesting” in a quickly deleted Instagram comment, while Gomez wrote, “Sorry I didn’t mention every person I know,” under a TikTok analyzing Raísa’s reaction.

Raísa said she had been subjected to online harassment since, describing hateful messages she received from Gomez’s fans and urging people to stop bullying her and others on social media.

“In no way shape or form does anyone condone bullying — especially Selena,” Raísa told TMZ.

“She literally has a whole nonprofit dedicated to mental health. ... So the fact that now I’m being bullied as I am, and it is messing with me mentally ... it’s not what anyone wants for someone.”

On Thursday, Raísa shared roughly 50 Instagram stories re-upping birthday greetings from her friends, but the Rare Beauty founder was not among them. However, she did appear to “like” Gomez’s post and began following her on Instagram again, according to Elle, after reportedly unfollowing the singer around the release of her documentary “My Mind & Me.”

The “Grown-ish” alum also marked her birthday on her own grid, sharing swimsuit-clad photo with the caption: “If I’m not in a bikini on my birthday then it’s not my birthday 👙” and another photo boasting her Leo “Birthday Energy.”

Representatives for Raísa did not immediately respond Thursday to The Times’ requests for comment.

Times staff writer Christi Carras contributed to this report.