These days, whenever the stars take to the red carpet for an awards show, it doesn't take long for the conversation to pivot towards someone's 'dramatic weight loss'. At the SAG Awards, that conversation was in full swing - with the Mail Online even using the headline 'the Ozempic carpet' when picturing stars like Selena Gomez, Demi Moore and Ariana Grande.
On social media, Selena Gomez is receiving the brunt of the conversation. Wearing a custom navy off-shoulder Celine dress and Messika jewellery, search for the Emilia Perez and Only Murders In the Building actor skyrocketed - 'Did Selena Gomez lose weight?', 'How did Selena Gomez lose weight?' and 'Selena Gomez sickness' are but a few of the breakout search terms on Google following the SAG Awards.
Gomez won the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for O_nly Murders in the Building_ at the ceremony and was caught in a moment shock when her show was announced, mouthing 'what?' to the stars at her table. 'Wait, we never win,' Selena joked. 'This is so weird.'
'Well, Marty and Steve aren't here because, you know, they don't really care,' the actress continued on stage. 'But I don't know what to say. Thank you to Marty and Steve for helping raise me. I genuinely am just so grateful [to] everybody, the writers. Everyone deserves this, and I take it home for all of us.'
And despite her well-earned victory, the conversation online is still focused on her appearance. It goes without saying that someones appearance can change for a number of reasons, and Gomez has been open in public about her Lupus diagnosis often causing weight fluctuations. Yet, in the current climate of ultra-thinness and weight-loss drugs, social media users were quick to jump to Ozempic accusations.
Ozempic is a prescription injection designed to help people with type 2 diabetes, which slows digestion and mimics a hormone that signals fullness to the brain. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, heartburn, loss of appetite, flu symptoms or headache, dizziness, tiredness and low blood sugar (in people with type 2 diabetes). Selena has not publicly commented on the drug.
There are also multiple Reddit threads set up with the sole intention of discussing Gomez's weight loss and its possible causes, with searches for 'Selena Gomez Ozempic reddit' also spiking.
One user was quick to point out that Gomez struggles with a chronic autoimmune disease that causes the body's immune system to attack its own organs. As a result of being diagnosed with Lupus, Gomez had a kidney transplant in 2017, and says symptoms include fatigue and swelling.
The actor has also spoken about the toll her lupus diagnosis has taken on her mental health – particularly as a woman in the public eye. She has had her body analysed and dissected by the media and strangers on the internet on countless occasions, the majority of which veers towards toxic unkindness.
In 2023, she took to TikTok to address some of the cruel comments directly. Gomez told fans that when she's taking medication she 'holds a lot of water weight'. 'I would much rather be healthy and take care of myself,' she said. 'My medications are important, and I believe that they're what helps me.'
The year before, after facing similar trolling because of her weight, Gomez attempted to shut down the conversation once more with some much-needed honesty about female beauty standards. 'I don’t care about my weight because people b*tch about it anyways. "You’re too small", "You’re too big", "That doesn’t fit". B*tch, I am perfect the way I am,' she told fans.
As someone with such star power (422 million followers on Instagram, and that's just one platform), several other lupus sufferers have vocalised their appreciation for Gomez in the past. Including Kate Appleby who told the BBC: 'What Selena is doing ultimately save lives. Going back to mental health issues when I got diagnosed, if there had been someone like Selena at that point, being very vocal and talking about it, would have personally made all the difference for me.'
It's worth remembering that as well as swelling weight loss can be a symptom of lupus too, especially if it's caused by loss of appetite, new medication or problems with the digestive system.
Regardless, Gomez's SAG Award success should not be overshadowed by a slight and ultimately inconsequential change in her appearance – especially when she has been so open about how body image discourse negatively affects her in the past.
To echo her own sentiment on the subject from 2023: 'I just wanted to say and encourage anyone out there who feels any sort of shame for exactly what they’re going through and nobody knows the real story. I just want people to know that you’re beautiful and you’re wonderful.'