Why Twitter Can’t Believe Demi Lovato Got Engaged on Selena Gomez’s Birthday
Former Disney Channel co-stars Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez shared an important day on July 22, 2020. But their fans, known respectively as Lovatics and Selenators, took to social media to argue about Lovato’s timing. Here’s what they had to say, and the other reasons the date was notable.
Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato’s friendship timeline
Lovato and Gomez first met when they were kids. They both starred in the PBS program, Barney & Friends, filmed in their home state of Texas. A few years later, they each moved to Los Angeles with their respective families to pursue careers in Hollywood, and each landed roles on the Disney Channel.
The story of the childhood best friends met its first speed-bump in 2010. The pair patched things up a few years later, only for them to fall out again. They were photographed at the 2017 InStyle Awards (above), and Gomez told Elle she “reached out personally” following Lovato’s 2018 overdose.
Lovato said in 2020 that they are no longer friends
But just when fans were getting their hopes up about a real reconciliation between the two, Lovato dismissed this. She returned to music with her 2020 Grammys performance, where she sang a new song, “Anyone,” written before her overdose. Gomez congratulated her on social media, but Lovato didn’t respond.
In a subsequent 2020 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, she explained why she didn’t thank her former co-star. “When you grow up with somebody, you’re always going to have love for them. But I’m not friends with her,” Lovato said. She did add, “I will always have love for her, and I wish everybody nothing but the best.”
She got engaged on Gomez’s birthday
Fast forward a few months. On July 22, Gomez turned 28 years old. She spent the day sharing her friends’ birthday Instagram wishes on her own story. As to be expected, Lovato was not among those who chimed in. But she was pretty busy.
That same evening, Lovato shared she’s engaged to her boyfriend of less than a year, actor Max Ehrich. “I knew I loved you the moment I met you.,” she wrote in her Instagram post announcing the news. “I’m honored to accept your hand in marriage. I love you more than a caption could express, but I’m ecstatic to start a family and life with you.”
Fans are stunned for 1 crucial reason
The social media response came in waves. Many were quick to point out Ehrich’s past admiration of Gomez, writing on Twitter, “Demi’s getting married to a Selena stan,” with screenshots of since-deleted posts. Another followed suit, adding, “did demi really get engaged to selena’s biggest fan on selena’s birthday.”
The date was significant for another reason, too. “Demi and Max got engaged on Selena’s birthday and Wilmer’s anniversary, a win win for both of them,” wrote another Twitter user. Indeed, Lovato’s ex-boyfriend, actor Wilmer Valderrama, did post a photo on Instagram with his fiancée, Amanda Pacheco, which he captioned, “#FelizAniversario”
Other think this is why Lovato got engaged when she did
In truth, all of these events lining up could be a coincidence. But there’s one, much more personal anniversary for Lovato, that is likely not. Lovato’s aforementioned overdose occurred on July 24, 2018. So many of her Lovatics believe this is why Ehrich chose this time to propose.
“Tomorrow will be two years since the most traumatic day for her & now two years later she can finally replace that traumatic memory of July with a beautiful one,” one Twitter user summed up. In other words, not everything is about a feud. Sometimes it’s about personal growth.
