Are Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa still friends? How the relationship of "best friends" unraveled after singer's kidney transplant

No friendship is perfect and the same goes for the ones between celebrities. Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa have been friends since 2008 and their friendship continues to make headlines. The two celebrities met for a charity event at a children's hospital when Gomez starred in Wizards Of Waverly Place and Raisa starred in The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

According to TODAY, the two instantly bonded over conversations about their shows and past breakups, and were inseparable after. The two became even closer after Gomez was diagnosed with lupus in 2013. Due to a medical complication, Francia donated her kidney to Selena in 2017. Shortly after the surgery, the two had an alleged fallout, but their friendship continued to grow strong at the end of the day.

Are Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa still friends? How the relationship of "best friends" unraveled after the singer's kidney transplant. (Image via Instagram/ @selenagomez, @franciaraisa)

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"Ups and Downs" in Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa's Friendship

From bonding over breakup experiences to supporting Gomez through a health crisis, Francia and Selena have been through thick and thin. After learning that the Wizards Of Waverly Place alum's kidneys were failing due to lupus, Raisa offered to get tested and donated her kidney. The two kept the surgery from the news until they felt comfortable dealing with the attention.

In an interview with E! News, Francia revealed what she said to the Love On singer before the surgery. She reported,

"Don't treat me different."

She added that Selena Gomez didn't treat her differently post-surgery and she appreciates it. The duo's friendship has changed over the years and the transplant marked a core experience for both of them. In an exclusive interview with TODAY, the two celebrities talked about Selena's life-saving kidney transplant. Gomez teared up and revealed that Francia "volunteered" and saved her life. She added,

"My kidneys were done, that was it."

In 2022, the two friends had an apparent falling out. During this time, Selena Gomez released her documentary, My Mind & Me. She also gave an interview with Rolling Stone that is speculated to have caused the dissonance between Gomez and Raisa. According to TODAY, the Naturally singer said,

“I never fit in with a cool group of girls that were celebrities.”

She added,

“My only friend in the industry really is Taylor (Swift), so I remember feeling like I didn’t belong.”

While Gomez clarified later that she did not mention everyone she knew, Francia shortly unfollowed her on Instagram after the Rolling Stone interview was published. While it is unknown how the duo reconciled, Selena Gomez posted a carousel on Raisa's birthday.

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Francia clears the air about her rumored beef with Selena Gomez

Gomez and Francia have been together since 2008. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Billboard)

In an exclusive interview with Extra at the Rare Impact Fund Benefit in October 2023, Francia Raisa addressed the difficult times with Selena Gomez. She clarified that the two didn't speak to each other for different reasons even with the rocky moments. She reported,

“I am OK now, and just for the record, it had nothing to do with the kidney.”

In a more recent interview with E! News in January 2024 reiterated that even with the ups and downs, their friendship is stronger than ever. She reported,

"I mean, we've been friends—God, we met in 2008. And just like any sibling, we go through our ups and downs."

The actress put an end to the rumors about the feud once and for all,

"One of the best, the best friendships that I know, you go a year without talking, and then when you see each other again, it's like you never went a day without talking. So, that's where it's at."

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Irrespective of the ups and downs, Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa eventually rekindled their relationship. The actresses support each other on social media and in other endeavors. When required, they took some time off to focus on themselves and their career, but for the record, they have clarified that they no longer have any feud between them.