Hollywood friendships are famously fast and incredibly fickle. One minute you're getting matching tattoos and sharing a yacht in Cabo, and the next, you're "forgetting" to invite each other to your respective weddings. Honestly, it's exhausting just trying to keep up.
The saga of Nicola Peltz and Selena Gomez is the perfect example of this "burn bright, burn fast" phenomenon. If you weren't scrolling Instagram in early 2023, you might have missed the era where these two—along with Nicola’s husband, Brooklyn Beckham—were basically glued at the hip. They weren't just friends; they were a self-proclaimed "throuple."
But it’s 2026 now. The matching ink is still there, but the social media tags? Not so much.
The Rise of the Throuple: From Gala to Tattoos
It all started back in October 2022. Selena and Nicola met at the Academy Museum Gala, and apparently, they just clicked. It was one of those instant connections where you feel like you've known the person forever. Within weeks, the duo was inseparable.
By New Year's 2023, the internet was obsessed. Selena posted a carousel of photos from their Mexican getaway, including shots of her, Nicola, and Brooklyn cuddling on a boat. The caption that sparked a thousand headlines? "Fine, call us a throuple #foreverplusone."
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It was a vibe. They even got matching "angel" tattoos on their forearms to seal the deal. For a while, it seemed like Selena had finally found a Hollywood circle that offered her the emotional support she needed, especially while Nicola was navigating her own highly publicized drama with the Beckham family.
The Honeymoon Phase
- November 2022: Nicola hosts a viewing party for Selena’s documentary, My Mind & Me.
- January 2023: The "throuple" debuts on Instagram during a New Year’s Eve trip to Los Cabos.
- May 2023: Nicola calls Selena her "soul sister" in interviews, praising her "heart of gold."
Why Things Went Cold
So, what happened? Basically, the silence became deafening. The trio hasn't been photographed together since early 2024, and the red flags started waving violently in late 2025.
First, there was the vow renewal. Nicola and Brooklyn celebrated their marriage again in August 2025. It was a lavish, intimate affair in upstate New York. Selena was nowhere to be found. Instead, she was posting photos from a different wedding she attended with her now-husband, Benny Blanco.
Then came the big one: Selena’s own wedding. When Selena and Benny tied the knot in September 2025, the guest list was a "who's who" of Hollywood. Taylor Swift was there giving emotional speeches. The Only Murders in the Building cast was out in full force. But Nicola and Brooklyn? Absent.
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The "Grown Apart" Narrative vs. The Rumors
Sources close to the couple have told People and Entertainment Tonight that there’s "no bad blood." The official line is that they simply grew apart. "Relationships evolve," one insider claimed. "It wasn't any one thing that happened."
However, the tabloid rumor mill suggests something a bit more dramatic. Some reports from The Sun and The Daily Mail hinted at "tense moments" during dinners where Nicola’s alleged "diva-like" behavior supposedly grated on Selena. There were even claims that Selena felt "betrayed" after being frozen out, similar to how Brooklyn has reportedly distanced himself from his parents, David and Victoria Beckham.
Honestly, it feels like the friendship was a product of a specific time in their lives. Selena was single and looking for fun; Nicola was looking for a high-profile ally. Now that Selena is happily married to Benny, her priorities have shifted.
Where They Stand in 2026
As of January 2026, the distance seems permanent. Nicola is currently busy filming her new indie drama Prima, where she plays a ballerina. Meanwhile, Selena is deep in her "newlywed glow" and focusing on her expanding Rare Beauty empire.
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There hasn't been a public "like" or comment between them in months. Interestingly, Nicola has recently wiped most traces of the Beckham family from her Instagram as her feud with Victoria and David reportedly escalates to the point of speaking only through lawyers. It seems Nicola is leaning into a very "new life, new people" philosophy, and unfortunately, Selena might have been part of the "old life" that got pruned.
Moving Forward: Lessons from the Throuple
What can we actually take away from the rise and fall of this friendship?
- Social media isn't reality. Those "forever" hashtags often last about as long as a temporary tattoo.
- Life stages matter. Intense friendships often happen when people are in similar transition periods. When one person moves into a different stage (like marriage), the bond can strain.
- Privacy is a choice. The most sustainable Hollywood friendships (think Selena and Taylor Swift) aren't always the ones posting 20-slide carousels every week.
If you’re looking to maintain a long-term friendship, take a page out of the "pre-throuple" book: keep it low-key. Intense, public bonds are prone to burnout. While the "angel" tattoos might be permanent, the "throuple" lifestyle definitely wasn't.
Keep an eye on their upcoming red carpet appearances. If they both end up at the Met Gala this year, the "polite snub" or the "awkward hug" will tell us everything the insiders won't.