Selena Gomez is stepping up to defend herself after virtually stumbling upon a TikTok video speculating about whether she’s had cosmetic treatments. The 32-year-old actress came across the video by Boca Raton, Florida physician assistant Marissa Barrionuevo, who used to share her insights on celebrity cosmetic procedures like Botox and filler when she felt “confident” she knew what they had done. Although Barrionuevo wasn’t certain in Gomez’s case, she compared two photos of the star to highlight potential facial differences. In response, Gomez took to the comments section to address the speculation head-on and set the record straight.
The Original TikTok Video
@marissathepa Replying to @krstn.fndt my honest opinion on Selena #greenscreensticker #fyp #selenagomez ♬ original sound – Marissa the PA
“Honestly I hate this,” Gomez commented. “I was on stripes because of flare up. I have Botox. That’s it. Leave me alone.” Although the video was posted in April 2023, the Only Murders in the Building actress only came across it recently. As expected, her response has drawn significant attention, with her comment receiving over 1,500 likes.
Her comment also caught the attention of Barrionuevo, who posted a follow-up video apologizing to Gomez. In a lengthy caption, she wrote, “Although I always try to lead with grace and mindfulness, I am sorry this upset you (and I understand why it did). I decided to stop making videos like this last year because of the negative impact it can cause. It was never my intention. Ily I hope we can move past this and be besties.”
Gomez saw the follow-up video as well and commented, “I love you. Not about you. I just get sad sometimes.”
The Follow-Up TikTok Video
@marissathepa Replying to @Selena Gomez ♬ original sound – Marissa the PA
The phenomenon of celebrities interacting with speculators on social media is nothing new. This past May, Khloé Kardashian posted a photo of herself in a bikini, prompting speculations that she used a photo editing app to alter her legs. “I think the edit didn’t [do] much because both legs are different,” someone commented on her post, implying she resized her legs poorly. Similar to Gomez, the Good American cofounder hit back at them, writing: “That’s my legs. I have two different legs. They will be different. And one of them has had 3 knee surgeries but I love them.”
While Gomez publicly acknowledges her ups and downs with Lupus, Kardashian has also been open about the multiple surgeries she’s had on her knees following a car crash in 2001.
“Whenever I post a picture of my legs on Instagram, everyone comments on how f—ed up my knees look. It’s because I’ve had reconstructive surgery, you a–holes!” she wrote in a since-deleted blog post. My right leg is an inch and a half thinner than my left because my muscles deteriorated and never recovered.
The reason I’ve had so many of these surgeries – and always wear a knee brace for my workouts – is because I was in a car accident when I was 16,” she continued. “To this day, I remember the exact streets (Ventura Blvd. and Coldwater Canyon). I was wearing my seatbelt but the strap was under my armpit. I was in a small Mercedes and it compacted in the wreck. My head and upper body went through the windshield and my legs were stuck under the steering wheel.
I still remember hitting the other car, feeling the car spinning, and hitting a pole,” she added. “I had knee surgery the day of my accident and a couple more after that. Lord, help me! So next time you see me in a knee brace, you know why!”
