You’ve got a friend in her.
You’ve got a friend in her.
Selena Gomez’s longtime pal Francia Raisa made the “ultimate sacrifice” for the singer this summer by donating her kidney to help the pop star in the battle against Lupus.
But while Gomez is a household name, Raisa is not — so who is the generous young woman?
The 29-year-old model-turned-actress has been friends with Gomez for nearly 10 years after the two met at a Disney and ABC Family charity event at the Children’s Hospital.
“Selena and I were in the same group and we just clicked, ” Raisa told Latina magazine in 2013.
Raisa praised her long-running friendship with the “Come & Get It” singer while wishing her a happy 24th birthday last year.
“I am obsessed with every memory we’ve built in the last 8 years and the ones we have yet to create, ” Raisa wrote at the time, along with a picture of the pair.
“I am so grateful that God put you in my life when he did. If you think about the time that we met and where we were in our lives when we first hung out, his timing was perfect. It’s been so inspiring watching you grow and to grow with you, ” she continued.
The Los Angeles native is the daughter of radio personality Renan (El Cucuy) Coello and Virginia Almendarez. She has two younger sisters, Italia and Irlanda.
After a stint in modeling, Raisa made her acting debut in 2005 on the series “Over There” and her film debut in “Bring it On: All or Nothing.” The role was fitting for Raisa, who was a cheerleader during her time at Bishop Alemany High School in Mission Hills, Calif.
Since then, she’s appeared in a number of TV series and TV movies, including cameos on “The Mindy Project” and “Rosewood.”
Raisa had a reoccurring role on the TV series “The Secret Life of the American Teenager, ” (2008-2013) portraying Adrian Lee — which landed her a Gracie Award in 2011 for “Outstanding Female Rising Star in a Drama Series or Special.”
She also received Teen Choice, IMAGEN and ALMA nominations for her role as Lee.
Raisa also was featured in a few episodes of “Dear White People.”
Her next role will be in the upcoming “Black-ish” spin-off, “Grown-ish.”
However, Raisa is more than just a model and actress — she also has an entrepreneurial spirit.
She launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2015 for the “Ellobella, ” a no-stress backup dress that was set to be wrinkle-resistant and small enough to fit in a pouch in your purse. Unfortunately, the project only received $5,000 of the $25,000 goal and funding was canceled.
The “Secret Life” actress is also the host of the radio show “WTFrancia” on Main Stage on Dash Radio.
