Credit: Cindy Ord/Charles Sykes/Bravo
Cynthia Bailey revealed she’s returning to Real Housewives of Atlanta as a ‘friend,’ addressed NeNe Leakes’ lawsuit against Bravo, and shared where she stands with Kenya Moore.
Much has changed for Cynthia in the last few weeks. The star recently went public with her breakup with husband Mike Hill. Cynthia suggested that moving to Los Angeles to live with Mike was a stressor in the marriage.
In a video interview for Suavv, shared by @jaysrealityblog on Twitter, Cynthia revealed her return to Bravo as a “friend.”
“I am going to play with the girls a little bit this season,” said Cynthia. “Maybe some future seasons.”
The star shared she misses hanging out with the cast members, and she still has some “really great friendships” with them. According to the actress, her former co-stars keep inviting her to upcoming events.
Her return to the show is possible as she’s “spending more time back in Atlanta.” The current season has only “a few more weeks of filming,” she said.
“I think I’m ready to get back on camera with some of the ladies,” explained Cynthia.
Cynthia says it’s looking like she will be a friend on S15 of #RHOA! She’s been filming with the ladies & has been invited to some upcoming events as there’s only a couple weeks left of taping! 🍑 pic.twitter.com/NGtSkcIFnC
— jay (@JaysRealityBlog) December 19, 2022
Recently, the alum spoke on the Behind The Velvet Rope With David Yontef podcast, addressing several of her former co-stars.
Regarding NeNe Leakes’ lawsuit, Cynthia said it’s “unfortunate” to watch how NeNe’s relationship with Bravo “has ended.” She described her former castmate as “Bravo’s creation,” and she claimed that “they worked so well together for so many years.”
“It really breaks my heart to see where it’s at now,” she continued. “She was like my first friend on the show. So I’ve seen what it was and it’s unfortunate that it is where it is. And I hope that they can work past it, work through it.”
The star admitted, however, that she doesn’t “know” if the relationship between Bravo and NeNe is fixable.
Cynthia then recalled her feelings after leaving the show. She explained that a “small part” of her began to ask, “What is this next chapter really going to be like?” She also suggested having the thought, “Is my career over… Did my moment pass?”
She also discussed Kenya’s claim to have given up the title of ‘villain.’
“I mean villain or no villain, Kenya is always going to be the shade assassin,” said Cynthia. “She just is effortless with it. You know, she has fun with it. It is what it is … On [Real Housewives Ultimate] Girls Trip, like I almost felt like I was the villain on that show because I was having some issues with people. So the villain thing is not all it’s cracked up to be.”
She then admitted that her time with Kenya on RHUGT changed their friendship.
“We are not where we used to be. I wish her well,” she expressed. “Friendships go up and down, it is what it is. For me, I’m in a space where I’m good where we are… She texts from time to time… I got a text from her not that long ago, actually. I think she was out here probably shooting some stuff for Bravo. And she wanted to know if I was in town [but] I actually was on my way to Miami.”
Many viewers wonder how the two friends will interact as Cynthia returns to the network. Will they reconcile — or will the cameras make it worse?