Selena Gomez's wedding to Benny Blanco featured a star-studded guest list, but fans quickly noticed a longtime friend of the bride was missing from the nuptials.
The actress and the music producer exchanged vows in Santa Barbara on September 27 during a lavish celebration attended by 170 family and friends.
The bride invited her longtime best friend, Taylor Swift, who delivered an emotional speech, while her Only Murders co-stars Martin Short and Steve Martin were also in attendance.
Highlights
- After Selena Gomez married Benny Blanco on September 27, fans noticed the apparent absence of one of her close friends.
- Francia Raísa, who donated a kidney to Selena, was not seen at the wedding, sparking speculation that she wasn’t invited.
- The actresses and friends had dinner just two years ago, according to Francia.
Other celebrity guests included Ed Sheeran, Paris Hilton, Paul Rudd, Cara Delevingne, and her Emilia Pérez co-star Zoe Saldaña.
Selena Gomez married Benny Blanco in a lavish ceremony attended by 170 guests, but one friend was absent
Image credits: TODAYshow
However, one friend who once gave the bride the “ultimate gift,” as Selena herself described it, was seemingly absent from the ceremony.
When Selena was suffering from the complications of lupus, an autoimmune disease, in the summer of 2017, Francia Raísa volunteered to donate one of her kidneys to save her friend’s life.
Francia, who met Selena over a decade ago and reportedly struggled with her physical and mental health following the operation, appeared to be at a different location while the bride was saying “I do.”
Image credits: selenagomez
The Grown-ish star was not seen in any photos from the ceremony. Additionally, while the wedding was taking place, Francia posted an Instagram video of herself dancing with choreographer Sasha Farber.
The clip showed Francia, dressed in leggings and a sports bra, showing off her moves outside on a street in Los Angeles alongside the former Dancing With the Stars pro.
The comments section quickly became flooded with questions about her apparent absence from Selena’s big day.
One follower questioned, “So you were not invited to the wedding?”
Another fan chimed in, “You should be the guest of honor at least in that wedding, you are her hero.”
Celebrity guests included Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Paris Hilton, and Zoe Saldaña
Image credits: selenagomez
A third commenter suggested, “Yup, had to make a post today so people will know that you were not there,” while a fourth user admitted, “I’d ruin the wedding and get my sh*t back!!!”
Francia’s name did not appear on the confirmed guest lists published by other media outlets. Neither she nor Selena have addressed the comments.
The two stars first met at a charity event back in 2007 and quickly formed a strong friendship, even referring to each other as “sisters.”
When the Love On singer became gravely ill from lupus ten years later, Francia made the ultimate gesture of generosity by donating her kidney to her friend.
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In 2018, Francia discussed her decision to donate a kidney to Selena with W Magazine. She recalled how her friend mentioned she needed “a new kidney,” prompting her to get tested to see if there was a match.
She remembered how Selena unexpectedly fell to the floor and began crying before revealing the seriousness of her condition.
"I was like, ‘What is wrong with you?’ She said, ‘I need a new kidney. I don’t know what I’m going to do, the waitlist is seven to 10 years.’ And it just came out of me, and I said, ‘I’ll get tested.’”
After the successful surgery, the former Disney Channel star shared a sweet photo of her and Francia holding hands while lying in adjacent hospital beds.
Fans quickly commented on the apparent absence of Francia Raísa, who famously donated a kidney to Selena in 2017
Image credits: selenagomez
“There aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa. She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much, sis,” she wrote in the caption.
Francia also shared the same photo with an uplifting message, saying she was “beyond grateful” to have not only saved Selena’s life but also changed her own in the process.
Since then, the duo reportedly had a falling out, however, Francia addressed their friendship status in 2023, clarifying that there was "no beef" between them.
Image credits: selenagomez
Francia reportedly became furious when Selena was spotted drinking during a night out at the Four Seasons hotel in New York City just a year after the transplant.
The two allegedly got into a major argument over Selena's “unhealthy choices,” but they later reconnected after the Only Murders actress decided to check herself into a treatment center in 2018.
They even went so far as to get matching tattoos, according to a Daily Mail report.
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In 2022, a confirmed falling out occurred between the friends over Selena not mentioning Francia in her Apple TV+ documentary, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, which chronicled the superstar’s health journey and rise to fame.
“We didn’t talk for a year after that whole situation with her documentary happened,” Francia told Today in October 2023.
Around the same time as the documentary’s release, Selena gave an interview to Rolling Stone in which she said her "only friend in the industry" was Taylor Swift, a statement Francia, who became connected for life to Selena in 2017, took issue with.
The Secret Life of the American Teenager star commented on a social media post about the interview, writing, “Interesting.”
“You should be the guest of honor at least in that wedding, you are her hero,” one fan said of Francia
Image credits: selenagomez
Selena then replied to a TikTok post about it and said, “Sorry I didn't mention every person I know.”
Reflecting on the feud, Francia told Today that they didn’t speak for a year after that because she needed “space.”
By July 2023, it appeared that the actresses had reconciled, as Selena posted a sweet message for Francia’s birthday, which “really surprised” her. Months later, Francia attended Selena’s benefit event for the Rare Impact Fund.
That same year, Francia opened up about her kidney donation during an appearance on the Good Guys podcast, saying she had absolutely no regrets about her decision.
Image credits: selenagomez
“No one forced me to do anything,” the actress stated, adding that her donation “came out of the genuine kindness of my heart.”
At the 2023 charity event, the How I Met Your Father star noted that despite the “zigzags” in her bond with Selena, the two had really missed each other and had spent quality time together.
"We got spray tans together. We went to some of our old favorite restaurants together. It's been nice,” she told People. "I'm just so glad that we're back together.”
Bored Panda has contacted Francia Raísa and Selena Gomez’s representatives for comment.
People shared their thoughts on Francia's apparent absence from the wedding
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