News 09/10/2025 09:14

Selena Gomez’s kidney donor, Francia Raisa, addresses wedding snub and feud rumors

And it’s a good thing the actress—now 37—has decided to speak out, because she formally quashed speculation that she is feuding with Selena Gomez.

Francia Raisa had previously donated one of her kidneys to Gomez, then 33, during Gomez’s health crisis when her kidneys were failing due to complications from lupus. (In 2017, Gomez publicly thanked Raisa, calling the donation “the ultimate gift and sacrifice.”)

Addressing Feud Rumors Directly
Days before Selena Gomez’s wedding to Benny Blanco, Raisa was asked about reports that she was “angry” or “disgusted” with Gomez for allegedly smoking after the kidney transplant. In a September 25 interview with Magaly Ortiz on Primer Impacto, Raisa responded:

“Well, right now what you’re asking me is nonsense that has been in the media, and there are too many rumors. I’ve never said anything.” EW.com+2New York Post+2
“When that rumor came out that I had gotten angry or something like that because [Gomez] was smoking, I wasn’t aware of those rumors.” EW.com+2EW.com+2

She also noted that TMZ had reached out to her about the claims, but she declined to engage while on set:

“So, what you’re asking me are rumors. No one knows what’s going on, and neither she nor I are talking about it,” she said. “One day, maybe we will address it.” EW.com+2New York Post+2

Notably, Raisa was absent from Gomez’s star-studded wedding to Blanco on September 27 in Santa Barbara, California, which fueled even more speculation about their relationship. EW.com+3New York Post+3E! Online+3

Expressing Gratitude, Not Resentment
In that same interview, Raisa emphasized that she is “very happy for her,” referring to Selena’s nuptials. She added, “She has a life and she is already a billionaire and I am grateful that I could do that for her.” EW.com+2EW.com+2

She also offered a metaphor to explain her boundaries:

“From the beginning, the doctors told me it’s a donation. If you’re 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.” EW.com+2New York Post+2

Past Tension, Reconciliation, and “Trauma Bonding”
The relationship between Raisa and Gomez has been under intense public scrutiny for years, especially given their deep connection through the kidney donation. Raisa has on various occasions acknowledged how complex the bond has been. In October 2023, speaking at Gomez’s Rare Impact Fund Benefit, Raisa said their connection involved what she called “trauma-bonding,” which can be “beautiful, but also … rocky and tricky.” She insisted that the past periods of distance “had nothing to do with the kidney.” EW.com

Speculation of a rift had intensified in 2022 after Gomez referred to Taylor Swift as her “only friend in the industry,” prompting Raisa to comment (and later delete) “Interesting” under her Instagram post. Cosmopolitan+3Page Six+3EW.com+3

Yet the pair have shown signs of rekindling their friendship. In 2023, Gomez publicly referred to Raisa as her “best friend” and said she would “never, ever, ever be more in debt to a person than Francia” for the kidney donation. New York Post+2Cosmopolitan+2

Earlier, Gomez had posted birthday messages to Raisa, and the two appeared together in media events. One social media moment from August 2023 showed matching leopard-print heels in Instagram Stories, with Raisa captioning the post, “No beef, just salsa” — a playful public suggestion that no feud exists. Glamour

Growth, Distance, and Uncertain Yet Respectful Ties
Raisa has also suggested that at times, people must take space to heal or grow. She told Extra TV that though their relationship had been “rocky,” it was never tied to the kidney itself. EW.com+1

In a 2025 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Raisa reiterated that she and Gomez are not currently talking publicly about the rumors. “No one knows what’s going on, and neither she nor I are talking about it,” she said. EW.com+1

Conclusion
In short: Francia Raisa has actively pushed back against media narratives of a feud, calling much of it “nonsense” and rooted in rumor, not fact. She emphasized her gratitude, her pride in helping Gomez, and her willingness to let time and maturity tell the story. Whether or not they ever publicly clarify every detail, Raisa has made it clear she views the donation and their shared history with respect and love, not resentment or bitterness.

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