Selena Gomez Says Boyfriend Benny Blanco Is Not Her "Only Source of Happiness," Reveals Plan to Adopt at 35 "If I Had Not Met Anyone"

"I was alone for five years, and I got really used to it."

Actress Selena Gomez, left, and actor Benny Blanco during the first half of an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Selena Gomez is opening up about her potential future with boyfriend Benny Blanco and her previous plan to be a single mother at 35 if she was still single.

In a recent interview with TIME, the Only Murders in the Building star admitted that her recent relationship with Blanco took her somewhat by surprise.

"It just happens when you least expect it,” Gomez told the publication, adding that at first she considered Blanco to be nothing more than a friend and even asked him to help her find her next romantic partner. “I just cherish every moment with him. I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that he’s not going anywhere any time soon.”

Despite being extremely happy in her relationship, Gomez said her relationship status is also "a little irrelevant, only because (Blanco) isn't my only source of happiness."

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"I was alone for five years, and I got really used to it. A lot of people are afraid of being alone and I probably tortured myself in my head for like two years being alone, and then I kind of accepted it," she explained. "Then I came up with my plan, which was I was going to adopt at 35 if I had not met anyone."

Recently, during a sit-down interview with famed radio jockey Howard Stern, Blanco revealed that he is absolutely thinking getting married and starting a family with Gomez.

"I wanna have kids, that’s my next goal,” Blanco said on Sirius XM’s The Howard Stern Show. “I have a lot of godkids (and) I got a ton of nephews. I love being around kids.”

When Stern said he sees marriage in Blanco's future, the producer and songwriter responded, "you and me both," before clarifying that first he has "gotta get my act together.”

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat at Crypto.com Arena on January 03, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat at Crypto.com Arena on January 03, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

“He can’t lie to save his life,” Gomez told TIME, referring to her boyfriend's undeniable candor. “If he’s asked a question, he’ll answer it.”

A source close to the couple recently told Us Weekly that Gomez "definitely sees" her relationship with Blanco "going the distance."

"They’ve talked about marriage and having children and are very much on the same page," the insider told the publication at the time.

In speaking with TIME, Gomez revealed that usually she would be more cautious about sharing details or even her feelings about her romantic relationships, but doesn't feel the need to be so protective when it comes to Blanco.

"I know what people can do to people I love,” Gomez explained. “My own fans, who I adore and feel like have shaped who I am, will say the most hurtful things to me about how I live my life. But (Benny) has the strength in him that none of that noise fazes him. It’s really impressive.”

Danielle Campoamor
Weekend Editor

Danielle Campoamor is Marie Claire's weekend editor covering all things news, celebrity, politics, culture, live events, and more. In addition, she is an award-winning freelance writer and former NBC journalist with over a decade of digital media experience covering mental health, reproductive justice, abortion access, maternal mortality, gun violence, climate change, politics, celebrity news, culture, online trends, wellness, gender-based violence and other feminist issues. You can find her work in The New York Times, Washington Post, TIME, New York Magazine, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, TODAY, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Glamour, The Daily Beast, Mother Jones, Prism, Newsweek, Slate, HuffPost and more. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and their two feral sons. When she is not writing, editing or doom scrolling she enjoys reading, cooking, debating current events and politics, traveling to Seattle to see her dear friends and losing Pokémon battles against her ruthless offspring. You can find her on X, Instagram, Threads, Facebook and all the places.