Francia Raisa admits she and Selena Gomez went six years without speaking

‘It’s still crazy to me that people were invested in our friendship,’ Raisa says

Francia Raisa has opened up about her current relationship with Selena Gomez, revealing that they went six years without speaking to each other.

In an interview with USA Today published on Thursday 28 December, the Secret Life of the American Teenager alum discussed what it was like to reconnect with Gomez after going so long without speaking and famously donating a kidney to her back in 2018.

“It’s still crazy to me that people were invested in our friendship,” Raisa told the outlet. “I don’t know why the timing happened the way it did, but I remember being in St Tropez in June and I kept talking about her. We hadn’t spoken much in six years. Especially the last year, we didn’t speak at all.”

She explained that the reconciliation happened after Gomez sent her a birthday message back in July when Raisa turned 35. Gomez sweetly wrote on social media at the time: “Happiest of birthdays to this special human being. No matter where life takes us, I love you.”

“I don’t know why the universe decided this timing… then she reached out and said, ‘Let’s talk.’” During their dinner, the two agreed that there’s “no beef, just salsa” - referencing the actor’s salsa brand. “We’ve never really had beef with each other,” she told USA Today.

“Nothing happened, and if you ask either of us, we don’t know what happened but we needed that time apart. Then when you come back together, you’re better people. She and I are still getting to know each other again,” Raisa added. “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.’ There was just a tiff.”

Despite the two of them reconciling, Raisia has previously admitted that she shares a “rocky friendship” with the Rare Beauty mogul. In an interview with Extra, the How I Met Your Father actor gave fans a rare insight into her friendship with the Disney Channel alum and stated that whatever drama exists between them has “nothing to do” with their kidney transplant.

“We trauma-bonded, which is beautiful, but also it can get rocky and tricky,” she explained, reflecting on the ups and downs of their friendship. “People grow, relationships change. Obviously, I treat her like my little sister, she treats me like her older sister.”

Raisa added that the duo have been through a lot together, with her having donated her kidney to Gomez amid her battle with lupus. “I don’t know any relationship that’s perfect,” she said. “When our situation came up… No, I never pictured that, but obviously I never regretted it. I am happy that we are here today, celebrating and supporting each other.”

Now that they have reconnected, the actor is overjoyed to “get to know” Gomez and grow together now that they’re both in their 30s and a little bit wiser.

“I am a different person today than I was last year or even when I turned 30. I’m 35 now,” Raisa said. “Even when Selena turned 30, I’m like, ‘It’s different, isn’t it?’ and she was like, ‘Yeah.’ I said, ‘Welcome to your 30s. Now we can get to know each other again.’”