'I Didn't Ask for That': Hailey Bieber Addresses Being 'Pitted Against' Justin Bieber's Ex Selena Gomez

Hailey Bieber isn’t letting any negativity into her life.

In her new cover story, published on Tuesday, October 14, the 28-year-old Rhode Beauty founder made it clear she’s tired of the constant comparisons and rumors involving her and Selena Gomez.

“It’s always annoying being pitted against other people. I didn’t ask for that,” Bieber said.

“When people want to see you a certain way and they’ve made up a story about you in their minds, it’s not up to you to change that,” she explained.

Both women met Justin Bieber, now 31, when they were teenagers around 2009. After Selena and Justin went public with their relationship in 2011, Hailey even showed her support at the time, tweeting, “I'm for sure 100% team #Jelena.”

As the years went on, Justin and Selena had their fair share of breakups. During one of those splits in 2014, rumors started flying that Justin was dating Hailey. Both denied it, but about a year later, Justin confirmed their romance by posting a throwback photo of the two kissing in St. Barts on New Year’s Eve 2015.

Fast forward to 2018, when Hailey and Justin quietly tied the knot at a courthouse in New York City.

Still, Jelena fan drama never really stopped.

In 2023, things exploded online when followers accused Hailey and her friend Kylie Jenner of mocking Selena’s eyebrows. The backlash was so harsh that Selena had to step in and call for peace.

"Hailey Bieber reached out to me and let me know that she has been receiving death threats and such hateful negativity. This isn't what I stand for," Selena shared. "No one should have to experience hate or bullying. I've always advocated for kindness and really want this to all stop."

Not long after, Hailey addressed the issue on a podcast, making it clear she’s never had any ill will toward her husband’s ex.

"I don’t think that this is about me, Hailey Bieber, and Selena Gomez. This is not about this pitting between two women and division between two women," she explained. "It’s about the vile, disgusting hatred that can come from completely made up and twisted and perpetuated narratives. That can be really dangerous."

She added, "I think that it’s an opportunity to really stand for bringing people together and not being ok with the kind of division that it caused because I’m not ok with the kind of division that it caused. I don’t like this whole idea of team this person and team this person — I’m just not about that."

Hailey admitted she’s “hated” the feud rumors “since the beginning,” especially because it all started “because of a guy.”

"I think that kind of goes back to a little bit of just being misunderstood, when it’s like time and time again I don’t know why I keep having to say, and we keep having to say, that there is no issue and there is no problem," she said. "It’s so disappointing that people still behave this way over a man. It’s the world we live in, unfortunately."

Fortunately, Hailey seems to have moved on from the ordeal. When Selena announced her engagement to Benny Blanco in December 2024, Hailey quietly “liked” the post, proving there’s no bad blood between them after all.

WSJ. Magazine interviewed Hailey.