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Angie Katsanevas revealed the reason for her split from her husband, Shawn Trujillo, during an interview on Wednesday.
As she also confirmed whether they were still living together, shared whether her role on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City was a factor, and reflected on filming season seven after the death of Mary Cosby‘s son, Robert Cosby Jr., Angie, 52, named the biggest pot stirrer of the cast, discussed where she stood with the ladies, and more.
“There’s not one thing. It’s just two people evolving,” Angie explained during a September 15 interview with Entertainment Tonight, confirming there was “absolutely” no cheating or betrayal.
“I talk about it a lot on camera. [I] talked about being together for 30 years and that people change, and yes, we are going to be separating. Being on the show is about being honest and being vulnerable,” she continued. “I do a lot of reflecting, and I’m very honest and just kind of getting older and wiser and just I guess definitely going through some hard times, and that’s life. That’s marriage after 30 years.”
While Angie has been defensive about Shawn in the past, particularly when he was accused of engaging in relationships with men, she clarified that those were “false rumors and accusations.”
“The difference now is I can be honest and talk about my truth, and it’s not about a rumor. It’s not about someone saying something that’s an untruth about your partner. Of course I’d be defensive. I never want anyone to speak ill of Shawn,” she reasoned. “I’ll always be protective of him.”
As for where they stand today, Angie said she and Shawn are moving towards separating and having space to spend more time independently.
“That’s where we were during the season, and that’s how we ended the season. We’re still living together right now and just planning on having some space … for now,” she explained.
Regarding whether RHOSLC informed her decision to part ways with Shawn, Angie admitted that it did have an impact.
“I do think the show does force you to really take a look at your life, and I’m not okay not being honest on this show about who I am or my life … it’s real,” she explained.
Amid filming on season seven, Angie leaned on her castmates, including the also newly-single Whitney Rose, 39, and Bronwyn Newport, 40, for support amid her breakup.
“I did learn a lot talking to them about different ways of unraveling or not unraveling and choosing to stay together. [But] one thing I did learn is you can get advice from everyone, but you really have to listen to yourself and cut out the noise, or you won’t make the right decision for you,” she noted.
Although Angie was previously quite close to Mary, 53, she didn’t want to say too much about her split to her on-again, off-again friend due to what Mary was going through herself.
“I was worried about Mary. I don’t want to burden Mary with what’s going on with me cuz she has so much going on and it makes it feel like what I’m going through is nothing,” she admitted.
As fans will recall, Mary’s son died of an overdose after years of addiction struggles just after filming began in February.
“It was a really difficult way to start the season. It was heartbreaking, and I think it was a reality check, and I think one thing that I took away from it was these women really would be here for any of us when we needed each other,” Angie shared. “It was like we pushed the reset button, and it made me realize I do love all these women and we all love Mary, and we’re all gonna be here for each other when we truly need each other in our darkest hour.”
Looking back at how Mary carried herself after the loss, Angie described Mary as “very strong.”
“She didn’t want us to feel sorry for her. She said, ‘I don’t want to wallow. I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me.’ And the way that she looked at it was that her son was going home to God,” she explained.
According to Angie, who Mary unfollowed amid season seven, she did not unfollow Mary, but hasn’t seen her much.
“I love Mary. I did not unfollow her. I did not remove her as a follower. And I guess I’ll just leave it at that,” she shared.
Moving on to the rest of the cast, Angie confirmed she was closest to Heather Gay, 52, and in a good place with Meredith Marks, 54.
“I think Meredith is really laid back. I think we both realized, what are we even fighting about … and I think we were ready to just give each other a chance and get to know each other,” she revealed.
She then said that she hadn’t heard from Lisa Barlow, 51, after ending season six in what she thought was a better place.
“I do love Lisa like a sister. We have our ups and downs, but I think we’re both just strong personalities and we clash sometimes,” she reasoned.
Regarding newbie Ashley Quai, 44, Angie suggested that the drama between them that was teased in the trailer, which saw Ashley shading her marriage, may have been her fault.
“I may have done something to provoke that, but it was in fun and light and levity, and her response was not,” she stated.
Then, after naming Whitney and Bronwyn, as well as herself, as the pot stirrers of the season, Angie denied that Secret Lives of Mormon Wives‘ Jessi Draper‘s salon, JZ Styles, was competition for her own, Lunatic Fringe.
“No competition with that other salon for that other show. I mean, Salt Lake is small, but I don’t even know where that salon is. Isn’t that crazy? I need to become friends and connect and collab. I love working with other women in business,” she suggested, adding, “Maybe I’ll go get a blow-dry there and support.”
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City season seven airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.