Francia Raisa, the actress best known for donating a kidney to global music star Selena Gomez, has publicly addressed renewed speculation surrounding the status of her relationship with Gomez and her absence from the latter’s recent wedding to producer Benny Blanco.
In a newly released interview, the 37-year-old How I Met Your Father actress dismissed longstanding reports of a personal rift with Gomez as unfounded, stating that such claims were “just rumors.” Speaking in Spanish during the interview—reportedly filmed at a bookstore event—Raisa extended her well wishes to Gomez ahead of the wedding, saying:
“I know she’s getting married, and I’m very happy for her. She has her own life, she’s already a billionaire, and I’m grateful that I could do that for her.”
Raisa went on to clarify her perspective on organ donation, emphasizing that her act was one of altruism rather than expectation of a lifelong emotional bond.
“From the beginning, the doctors told me—it’s a donation. If you’re donating a dollar to St. Jude or somewhere else, you don’t call to ask what they’re doing with your dollar. It’s a donation, and it’s something nice that I was able to do. I’m grateful that I’m alive and can say I’ve saved a life.”
When questioned about past tabloid reports alleging that she was upset with Gomez over lifestyle choices following the transplant, Raisa responded firmly:
“What you’re asking me is nonsense that’s been in the media—too many rumors. I’ve never said anything. When that rumor came out that I had gotten angry because [Gomez] was smoking, I wasn’t even aware of it. No one knows what’s going on, and neither she nor I are talking about it. One day, maybe we will address it.”
Raisa famously donated her kidney to Gomez in 2017 after the singer was diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune condition that can severely impact organ function. Both women later spoke about the emotional and physical difficulties that followed the procedure, including postoperative depression and complications that nearly cost Gomez her life.
Their friendship has since undergone periods of distance. In 2022, speculation of a feud was reignited when Gomez told Rolling Stone that her “only friend in the industry” was Taylor Swift, prompting Raisa to leave a now-deleted “Interesting” comment. Gomez later responded, “Sorry I didn’t mention every person I know.”
Despite the tension, both parties have since made public efforts to reaffirm their respect for one another. Gomez stated in her Apple TV+ docuseries Dear…:
“I will never, ever, ever be more in debt to a person than Francia. The idea of someone not even second-guessing being a donor was unbelievably overwhelming.”
Raisa, for her part, has consistently maintained that her decision to donate came from a place of compassion, telling USA Today in 2023 that although she and Gomez had been distant for years, they had reconciled and remained friends.
While Raisa was not among the A-list guests—such as Taylor Swift, Zoe Saldaña, Paris and Nicky Hilton, Ed Sheeran, and Gomez’s Only Murders in the Building co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short—who attended the wedding, she appeared unfazed, sharing a video on Instagram of herself dancing during the same period.
Her recent remarks appear intended to put lingering speculation to rest, reaffirming that any purported feud with Gomez has been overstated and that she continues to wish the singer well in her personal and professional life.#newsafro_
