Los Angeles—Selena Gomez isn’t holding back about the awkward, skin-reddening moment she locked lips with Benny Blanco for the first time. In a candid chat at W Magazine’s inaugural “Best Performances” party on April 30, 2025, the pop star turned actress dished on a first kiss that went from heart-pounding to downright embarrassing, leaving her with a face full of hives.
Gomez, fresh off her role in Emilia Pérez, was reminiscing about her romance with Blanco, the producer and now-fiancé she started dating in 2023. The kiss, she said, wasn’t exactly a Hollywood fairy tale. Nerves got the better of her, and her body decided to stage a full-on revolt. “I was so nervous,” she admitted, describing how her anxiety manifested as a bright red rash across her face. “It was humiliating. I thought I looked disgusting.” The moment, she added, came after a long stretch of being single, which only cranked up the pressure.
Blanco, for his part, has been open about his side of the story. In a March 2025 YouTube video posted on Gomez’s official channel, he recounted their first date on Sunset Boulevard, where he made the first move. “I could feel her heart pounding,” he said, explaining how he leaned in after a photo they snapped together. No mention of the rash from him, though—guess that part stayed Gomez’s private mortification until now.
The couple, who got engaged in December 2024, has since turned the awkwardness into a quirky footnote in their love story. Gomez, laughing off the memory at the W Magazine event, said it took her a while to shake off the embarrassment, but Blanco’s charm kept her hooked. Their relationship, now a staple of entertainment headlines, kicked off publicly when Gomez confirmed they were an item in December 2023, following months of collaboration on her music.
This isn’t the first time Gomez has gotten real about her personal life. Known for her openness about mental health and past relationships, she’s built a career on authenticity, from her Disney days to her current gig as a Golden Globe-nominated actress. Her latest revelation, though, adds a relatable, slightly gross twist to her romance with Blanco, proving even A-listers can’t escape the occasional bodily betrayal.
The rash, thankfully, was a one-time deal. Gomez didn’t dive into medical details, but the incident hasn’t slowed down the couple’s whirlwind engagement or their plans for a future together. As for Blanco, he’s stayed mum on whether he noticed the hives in the heat of the moment. Some things, it seems, are better left unsaid.
Gomez and Blanco began dating in 2023. They announced their engagement on December 11, 2024. The W Magazine event took place in Los Angeles on April 30, 2025.