Why Selena Gomez Named Her New Kidney After Fred Armisen

Selena Gomez will always hold Fred Armisen close to her heart.

When the Only Murders in the Building star underwent a kidney transplant in 2017, she knew she wanted to designate a special name for her new organ.

"I named it after Fred Armisen because I love Portlandia," Selena said in a Nov. 3 interview with Rolling Stone. "I've never met him, but I'm secretly hoping he finds that out just because I want him to be like, 'That's weird.'"

Armisen created Portlandia—a sketch comedy show set in Portland, Ore. which poked fun at the city's hipster reputation—alongside actress Carrie Brownstein. The show aired on IFC for eight seasons from 2011 to 2018.

The latter seasons of the show aired during a particularly difficult part of Gomez's life.

Gomez, the subject of the new Apple TV+ documentary Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me, was diagnosed with lupus in 2015, which led to the kidney transplant shortly after releasing her second solo album Revival.

"I'm very aware some of my fans had noticed I was laying low for part of the summer and questioning why I wasn't promoting my new music, which I was extremely proud of," she said on Instagram in Sept. 2017. "So I found out I needed to get a kidney transplant due to my Lupus and was recovering."

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Gomez ended up getting "Fred" from friend and Secret Life of the American Teenager star Francia Raisa.

"She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me," Gomez wrote at the time. "I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis."

Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me is available to stream now on Apple TV+.

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