After nearly a month of viral attention placed on actress, musician, and makeup entrepreneur Selena Gomez’ prior relationship with pop star Justin Bieber, Gomez is speaking her mind on the matter. Over the past month, old video clips of Bieber’s wife, Hailey Bieber (neé Baldwin) allegedly speaking poorly of several famous women, including Gomez’ best friend Taylor Swift, resurfaced online. Things began to spiral when Gomez commented on the video clip, which featured Hailey Bieber making a gagging gesture at the mention of Taylor Swift, and defended her friend.
In an Instagram story post this morning, Gomez revealed that Hailey Bieber reached out to her after receiving death threats over the online scandal, and encouraged the internet to lay off Bieber. Gomez even went on to follow Hailey Bieber on Instagram, which many are seeing as a virtual olive branch, given that Gomez recently became the most followed woman on Instagram.
Selena Gomez speaks out against the hate Hailey Bieber has been receiving:
“Hailey Bieber reached out to me and let me know that she has been receiving death threats and such hateful negativity. (…) I've always advocated for kindness and really want this all to stop. ❤️” pic.twitter.com/nNWA2ivqE0
— Pop Base (@PopBase) March 24, 2023
The old Hailey Bieber clips began to surface after she posted a TikTok alongside friends Kendall Jenner and Justine Skye that some viewers felt was intentionally poking fun at Gomez’ weight. Gomez has previously disclosed that she was diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune condition that is managed with a medication that can cause weight gain. Fans of Gomez immediately called out Hailey Bieber’s behavior, as they felt it was an example of bullying.
After these initial video clips emerged, fans of Gomez and pop culture sleuths alike began digging up videos and images of Bieber allegedly stalking her now husband Justin Bieber while he was with Gomez. Some TikTok users even called her “Hailey Goldberg” in reference to Penn Badgley’s character Joe Goldberg on the hit Netflix series “You,” in which he plays a love-crazed stalker.
@allstaralliee I got sucked into the Hailey Goldberg rabbit hole ???? #fyp #haileybieber #fanbehavior #greenscreen
@virfamvideoss #selenagomez #justinbieber #haileygoldberg #joe #you #fan #stalker #creepy #homewrecker #fyp #fypシ #fypage #fyp #fypシ #jelena #teamselena #selener #nickiminaj #taylorswift #rihanna #arianagrande #mileycyrus #fypage #fypdongggggggg #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #fypp #fypdong #fypgakni #fypagethis #fyppagethis #foryour #foryourpag #foryourpagetiktok #foryourpagethis #foryourpagechallenge #foryourpageofficiall #foryourpagechallenge #foryourpageviral #trending #dramatiktok #jelenafans #jelenafan #goviral #goviralgo #goviraltiktok #goviraltiktok #goviralchallenge #goviralvideo #goviralvideo #goviralgoviralgo #dramatiktok #jelenaforever #justinandselena #selenaandjustin #hillsongchurch #hillsong #creepy #selenator #selenators #stalker #justin #hailey #haileybaldwin #bieber #selena #gomez #selener #keepinganeyeoutforselener #joegoldberg
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Given the in-depth nature of the social media attention given to the situation, fans of Gomez were surprised that she chose to address it directly. However, Gomez has long preached messages of kindness, both in her music and with the marketing of her popular makeup brand, Rare Beauty, so her statement did not come unprecedented. The Biebers were initially married in a courthouse ceremony in 2018, and had a traditional wedding in front of family and friends a year later in 2019. Gomez previously dated Justin Bieber for several years prior to his marriage, and has refrained from speaking on the matter until the 2023 scandals that reemerged.
Selena Gomez will always have the biggest heart pic.twitter.com/A4NfXbmCIy
— Selena Gomez Source (@GomezSource) March 24, 2023
Others feel that Gomez’ defense of Hailey Bieber is only a further reflection of Justin Bieber’s character. He has seldom defended his wife Hailey from public criticism, especially during the scandals of recent weeks.
Selena Gomez has defended Hailey Bieber more than Justin Bieber has ever done
— Mona (@RealMona_) March 24, 2023
The internet is now increasingly criticizing Justin Bieber’s lack of involvement in the situation, as many see him as the root cause of the issues in the first place.
selena gomez really defended hailey bieber AGAIN before her own husband did now THAT’S embarrassing pic.twitter.com/tmk8btGn1F
— nicole (@clinemezs) March 24, 2023
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Other fans on TikTok continue to wonder what the truth behind the whole situation really is. One TikTok user named Katie Bowen (@katievsthevoid) posted a video wondering about actors Martin Short and Steve Martin’s opinions on the issue. Short and Martin are costars with Gomez in the hit Emmy-nominated Hulu show “Only Murders In The Building”, and have forged close personal friendships with Gomez.
@katievsthevoid I am both messy and #teamselena what can I say ✨ #girlsgirl #selenagomez #haileybeiber #onlymurdersinthebuilding #onlymurders #stevemartin #martinshort
The Biebers have not publicly responded to Gomez’ statement at this time, but Gomez’ message to kill ’em with kindness was heard across the internet.
