Braunwyn Windham-Burke can’t believe the way she has been treated by her Real Housewives of Orange County castmates since coming forward as an alcoholic during season 15.
During a new interview, Braunwyn opened up about her judgmental co-stars before suggesting they’re acting out against her due to jealousy, dishing on her new relationship with girlfriend Kris, and sharing how husband Sean Burke has responded to the romance.
“I see the things [they’re saying] and it’s very disheartening,” Braunwyn admitted on Access Hollywood‘s Housewives Nightcap on January 12. “It’s hard to be on a cast that’s so judgmental. I actually was expecting some support and to be from day one just… ‘You’re faking,’ I was unprepared. And to have it continue… It was eye-opening.”
In recent weeks, a number of RHOC cast members have suggested that Braunwyn is using her sobriety for a storyline and wondered if her alcoholism is real.
“It’s very dangerous. By using those accusations, they’re taking someone who maybe wanted to get sober, who says, ‘Oh, Braunwyn’s doing it,’ and they’ll say, ‘She’s faking it,’ and then they’re going to go and drink,” Braunwyn said of her co-stars’ comments. “They need to stop and say, ‘Hey, this is bigger than you not liking me. This is someone’s life.’”
According to Braunwyn, she believes her castmates are targeting her because they’re jealous of how much press coverage she’s gotten in recent months.
“When I got asked to do ‘Movement, Not a Moment,’ I said to my producer, ‘Oh crap, I’m going to have a target on my head.’ And I did,” she explained. “I think the women on the Orange County cast have a tendency to be very petty and belittle people instead of thinking, ‘How can we as a group elevate ourselves?’ it’s like, ‘Nope, you’re getting too much attention, I’m going to try and pull you back down.’”
While Braunwyn is estranged from the majority of her cast, she confirmed she is still speaking to Gina Kirschenheiter.
“Gina has been amazing. She has reached out privately and said, ‘Hey, I understand.’ She knows more that’s going on than anyone else,” she shared.
Weeks after fans watched as Braunwyn admitted to suffering from addiction, they also learned the mother-of-seven is a lesbian, and shortly thereafter, Braunwyn went public with Kris.
“We’re still together. We’re still doing great,” she said of their romance.
As for the recent photos of her and Sean at a sex shop, Braunwyn said she was “embarrassed” after being caught by paparazzi at the adult store and noted that she had visited the shop in an effort to keep everyone in her life happy.
“There’s obviously jealousy on both sides and there’s a lot of me thinking, ‘What am I going to do and say to keep everyone as happy as I can?’ Because I love and respect [them both],” Braunwyn explained.
Although Braunwyn made it clear that she, Kris, and Sean aren’t involved in a “throuple” relationship, she acknowledged that her girlfriend and husband have “hung out.”
“Sean thinks she’s nice. He’s happy that I’m happy,” she stated, adding that Sean has “dated people” as well.
While Braunwyn and Sean are both dating, the RHOC cast member said that she is not planning for a future with Kris and added that her girlfriend actually likes that she’s staying married.
Regarding her future on the show, Braunwyn said that changes will have to be made before she agrees to return for season 16.
“That depends on who is asked back. I have talked to my bosses. They know what I’m willing to do and what I’m not. I can’t do another season where people just create lies and come after me over and over. It’s not fun and it’s not healthy,” she shared.
Braunwyn then admitted that she nearly went back to drinking ahead of the RHOC reunion taping last month.
“I almost drank because I thought, ‘If I drink, I can go to rehab. I won’t have to go to the reunion.’ And that seemed like a perfectly logical explanation. That was where my head was at. I almost drank so I wouldn’t have to do my job,” she confessed.
The Real Housewives of Orange County season 15 airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on Bravo.