Actor Francia Raísa is opening up about her mended friendship with Selena Gomez.
The “Grown-ish” actor told USA Today in an article published on Thursday that she was surprised that so many people have been invested in her friendship with the singer. The two longtime pals had appeared to have a public falling out last year.
She described the timing of their reconciliation as somewhat serendipitous; Gomez had sent her public birthday wishes in July, and she had coincidentally just been talking about the “Only Murders in the Building” actor while on vacation the month before.
Prior to that, the two “hadn’t spoken much” for six years, Raísa explained.
“Especially the last year, we didn’t speak at all,” she said.
Raísa then discussed her separation and reconciliation with Gomez further, telling the publication that the two “never really had beef with each other.”
But the “How I Met Your Father” actor, who donated a kidney to Gomez in 2017 due to the singer’s struggle with lupus, explained that she understood why fans were perplexed about their supposed feud.
“And obviously, you know, I gave the girl a kidney, so everyone felt a certain way, and I was asked for years and years and years, ‘Do you regret it?’ and I was like, ‘No, the relationship has always been there,’” she said. “There was just a tiff.”
Gomez and Raísa appeared to be at odds last year when fans accused Gomez of snubbing her longtime friend in a November 2022 interview with Rolling Stone, in which the singer said that Taylor Swift was her “only friend in the industry.”
Raísa had reportedly left a since-deleted comment on an E! News Instagram post that shared the quote, writing, “Interesting.”
Gomez later responded to criticism she received online over the interview and Raísa’s response, writing in the comments section of a Tiktok video: “Sorry I didn’t mention every person I know.”
But any potential feud between the two appeared to be put to rest when Gomez sent Raísa birthday wishes on Instagram in July.
“Happiest of birthdays to this special human being,” the singer wrote at the time. “No matter where life takes us, I love you.”
In August, the two friends shared photos of them wearing matching animal print heels during a night out together on their respective Instagram Stories.
Raísa discussed her relationship with Gomez in October, telling E! News, “She’s my sis, and every relationship goes through its ups and downs.”
She continued, “And I don’t know why the media started following me over the summer, but thank you so much, because not only did it bring my friendship back together, but I got to share the new endeavors that I’m doing right now.”
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