EXCLUSIVE: Reality Star Gizelle Bryant On RHOP Drama, Robyn’s Relationship w/ Juan Dixon, Rumors Phaedra Parks Dated Her Ex + New Beauty Line (INTERVIEW)

Gizelle Bryant

Gizelle Bryant On RHOP, Rumors, New Business Ventures

Drama arguably drives the hit reality Real Housewives franchise, with all the series offering its own set of pettiness, shade, and intense arguments that turn physical in some cases. One of the members, who made her presence well-known due to her no-nonsense demeanor, was a leader in her community at large before joining the Real Housewives of Potomac. Gizelle Bryant, who was once married to popular pastor/activist Jamal Bryant, has a background in government and philanthropy, and is a popular socialite in the Potomac area.

The reality star and Bryant have three children together and were married for seven years. In a recent interview with theJasmineBRAND.com, Gizelle dishes on life before the show and all of the season two drama, along with her beef with newbie Monique Samuels. Gizelle also addresses rumors that surfaced about her ex dating Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Phaedra Parks; how she handles backlash from the church; if she feels her reality TV BFF Robyn should reconcile with ex husband Juan Dixon; along with new business ventures which include a new book AND a new beauty line. See excerpts below.

On life before the reality show:

I was actually home with my kids raising them, I have three girls (one 12-year-old, 11-year-old twins), I was doing other things, I was working with the city of Birmingham, I was helping them re-design and re-birth to areas that were destroyed. I was working with the Clinton Global Initiative; I was doing things that required using my brain.

On biggest difference between season one and two:

So season one, we actually didn’t know we were going to be housewives, we filmed the entire season, and it was just like we were filming a show, we thought we were going to be ladies of Potomac, because there is a ladies of London. So to find out we were housewives was very exciting. So then season two was like, okay we’re housewives, and the show kind of gave that feel more than season one. As far as I’m concerned, I just tried to continue to be Gizelle and her fabulous self, so that’s what I do.

A post shared by Monique Samuels (@mrsmoniquesamuels) on Jul 7, 2017 at 2:59pm PDT

On drama with Monique:

It was so crazy, everyone thinks I’m so shady, and I am not. So, I don’t [see the shade that she gives off], it all started with the whole house situation. She said she was looking for a home. The natural next question is ‘so you don’t have one?’ For whatever reason, that’s shady, and she was like ‘oh no, I have a million homes.’ From there, it went down hill.

Juan Dixon & Robyn Dixon

On Juan Dixon commenting to a show producer about Robyn: ‘If it wasn’t for the kids, I’d be gone’:

That broke my heart, you always get mad in the moment, and I felt like that was a moment for him in which he was upset that America got to see, and that just wasn’t fair. I spend a lot of time with them off camera, and I know that Juan loves Robyn, I know he wants to be with her, I know he loves his family, so I felt he was being portrayed in a way that was not accurate. Juan does not like to be on camera for this show, and I get it.

What surprised her most this season:

Karen surprised me this season, I had no idea about the whole rape thing that she went through, so that was very courageous of her to share that.. I’ve known Karen for a very long time and she’s never laid back and mild-mannered – she finally was back to her true self.

On how she is portrayed on the show:

Gizelle is a little shady sometimes. Sometimes that can come across as being mean. I am not a mean girl. I’m a shady-funny girl. So sometimes with editing, it came across as me being mean as opposed to me being shady-funny.

If she could be cast on another housewife show, which she city she would choose: 

I wouldn’t want to go to ATL, because where would I fit in with NeNe [being] back? Ok, I am going to New York.. and me and Bethenny Frankel are gonna curse each other out real bad. I love Bethenny, but I feel like we could go toe to toe.

A post shared by gizellebryant (@gizellebryant) on Jul 9, 2017 at 10:12am PDT

The biggest surprise about working with Andy Cohen:

So Andy is borderline ADD a little bit, so he’s all over the place. But he is a professional, and he’s a hustler. I’ve had to learn that about him.. I viewed him as very ‘happy go lucky’, he’s a Jewish white Oprah.

A post shared by gizellebryant (@gizellebryant) on Jul 15, 2017 at 12:58pm PDT

On her brand Every Hue Beauty:

So [Every Hue Beauty] is my baby. I been working on this for about two years, it’s a makeup line for women of color, and we decided to start with the skin… We have ten shades that are really warm.

Phaedra Parks

On rumors that her ex was dating Phaedra:

Yes, I did address that. He said it’s not true, and there is rumor that she told people it’s true, they are friends, and some of her friends say that it’s true but he says it’s not true at all.

Watch the full interview below.

Part 1

Part 2

By -@ike_morgan