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Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
Entertainment
Nardine Saad

Selena Gomez tells her fans to chill: Hailey Bieber getting death threats is not OK

Selena Gomez is telling her fervent followers to stand down amid the theoretical online feud between her and beauty influencer Hailey Bieber,

Followers have been invested in the beauty moguls' social media exchanges ever since Bieber allegedly shaded (in fans' eyes) Gomez's botched eyebrow lamination in February, a debacle henceforth known as EyebrowGate.

On Friday, Gomez attempted to put the enmity to rest for good with a dire revelation.

"Hailey Bieber reached out to me and let me know that she has been receiving death threats and such hateful negativity," the "Only Murders in the Buildings" and "My Mind and Me" star wrote on her Instagram stories.

"This isn't what I stand for. No one should have to experience hate or bullying," the 30-year-old added. "I've always advocated for kindness and really want this all to stop."

Bieber, 26, who is married to Gomez's ex Justin Bieber, has been in the crosshairs of Selenators and a faction of "Jelena"-backing Beliebers for years. The superfans' ire peaked again last month when the Rare Beauty founder and the Rhode Skin creator engaged in what some saw as a back-and-forth, with the likes of Kylie Jenner — she of Kylie Cosmetics fame — in Bieber's corner.

Seems like the messy makeup stars can get along only in our even-messier cosmetics bags?

Bieber and Jenner created a post that fans decided made fun of Gomez's brows, and all internet-hell broke loose after that, prompting the floodgates to open on EyebrowGate explainers from legacy media outlets, style and gossip blogs and everyday TikTok creators.

BuzzFeed ultimately declared "The End of the Hailey Bieber Icon Era" among Gen Z as the influencer's social media following ping-ponged during the brouhaha. Bieber, the daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin and a fully formed nepo-baby, lost nearly a million followers and was rebranded a "mean girl." Her husband's Rolling Loud concert audience also chanted against her during his early-March performance, signaling yet another roadblock for the once-untouchable It Girl.

Gomez has approached the drama with some snark but mostly altruism. Her Friday remarks echoed her sentiments from earlier this month when she ended a brief social media break to tell her followers on TikTok, "Please, please be kinder and consider others mental health. My heart has been heavy and I only want good for everyone."

While Bieber has kept mum on the saga in public, Jenner reportedly denied the feud rumors, writing "this is reaching" in a TikTok comment.

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