Putting the past behind them.
Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber have posed for their first public photos together in a surprise show of unity, four years after the model married the singer's ex, Justin Bieber and less than two weeks after she gave a tell-all interview addressing criticism of their relationship.
The women's joint snaps, which show them sitting close together and smiling, were taken by photographer Tyrell Hampton Oct. 15 at the star-studded 2022 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles, to which the women arrived separately. The celebration, presented by Rolex, marked the most high-profile event both have attended at the same time.
On Oct. 16, Tyrell posted one of his pics of the women on his Instagram and Hailey, who called the event a "beautiful night" on her own page, liked his post. So did more than half a million people.
In fact, the photo has touched the hearts of scores of who have followed the saga involving the three stars.
Ava Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon and ex Ryan Phillippe's daughter, wrote on her Instagram Story, "I'm not one to get wrapped up in celeb drama & at the end of the day, it's really just a pic (& none of my business!) But it does make me smile to see these boss babes out there setting the record straight. Love + respect for you both!"
Hailey and Justin married in 2018 after a whirlwind romance and months after his split from longtime on-again, off-again girlfriend Selena was reported. For years, many fans of the latter have criticized the married couple's relationship and called into question its timing. On the Sept. 28 episode of the podcast Call Her Daddy, Hailey denied being with Justin romantically while he was with Selena.
"When him and I ever started like hooking up or like anything of that sort, he was not ever in a relationship ever, at any point," Hailey said about Justin. "It's not my character to mess with someone's relationship."
She continued, "A lot of the hate, and the perpetuation, comes from the misperception, 'Oh, you stole him.' It comes from the fact that they wished he had ended up with someone else, and that's fine. You can wish that all you want. But that's just not the case."
Hailey also said she has spoken to Selena since her wedding to Justin and respects her "a lot," adding, "There's no drama, personally."
Following the podcast's release, Selena said in a live TikTok video that "some of the things that I don't even need to be aware of are just vile and disgusting, and it's not fair, and no one, ever, should be spoken to in the manner that I've seen." She urged people to be kind to each other.
"No one should ever be spoken to in the manner that I've seen," Selena said, adding, "If you support Rare, I cannot thank you enough, but know that you are also representing what it means—and that is: Words matter. Truly matter."
See more pics of Selena and Hailey, as well as other stars at the Academy Museum Gala: