How Adriana de Moura got Martina Navratilova to agree to appear on 'Real Housewives': 'It took a little convincing'

Tune into We Should Talk every Thursday, where In The Know’s Gibson Johns interviews your favorite celebrities and influencers. Subscribe to We Should Talk here.

Do you feel that rush? That’s The Real Housewives of Miami returning after eight years away!

Fans’ longtime push for Bravo to bring back the three-season wonder finally paid off when Peacock opted to renew the show for a fourth season, bringing together original cast members and new faces for an exciting new chapter of Real Housewives.

For the latest episode of In The Know’s pop culture interview series We Should Talk, original RHOM star Adriana de Moura opened up about the show’s long-awaited return, why she is just a “friend of” this season, where she stands with everyone from the original cast, where things go wrong with co-star Larsa Pippen and more.

“I’m very happy! I love the way we’re showing Miami. We’re proving that we have what it takes and that Miami is such a fun, international, sexy city,” de Moura told In The Know. “I always thought we would come back because the way I feel about Miami is that this city is second to none. It’s a destination. People all over the world want to come hang in Miami … It’s such a hub between the United States, Europe and Latin America. How can you not come back? I understood that other cities needed their little spot, or they wanted to try something new. I said, ‘OK, let them try. But eventually, we’ll go back to being on the scene.’ And here we are.”

Listen to Real Housewives of Miami star Adriana de Moura’s full episode of We Should Talk here, and keep reading for highlights from the interview:

On why she’s not a full-time Housewife on Season 4 of RHOM: “That’s a great question. It’s a two-fold answer. One is that I started my master’s at Harvard, so my time is really … right now, I study a lot. There was a question [of] whether I could really dedicate that much time to the show, but eventually, I was able to juggle it. At the end, the decision was made, but I think that for next season, I’m for sure back on full time. I appreciate your support and your loyalty. That means a lot to me. I ended up being in every single episode. I can’t help it that drama loves me!”

On why she and Frederic got divorced: “I believed that Frederic and I would be together forever. We were together for over 10 years — 11 years, to be exact — but unfortunately, in the later years after the show wrapped, there were different paths, and we were growing apart. It got to the sense that, very friendly and very amicably, we decided that maybe that wasn’t going to work for the really long haul, like ’till death do us part.’ We very amicably got divorced, and it was sad. Very sad. But it’s life — you never know! It’s very hard to maintain long-term marriages and relationships, especially when COVID hit. We literally got divorced amidst COVID, and I think probably a lot of [other] people did, too. You realize it’s time to pull the trigger. It’s a big time of reflection, right? Everything comes out. And I only wish him the best. We’re still great friends. He’s still there for my son, which, to me, is super important. I still consider him family. We’re just now the new modern family.”

On her thoughts about Larsa Pippen: “My friendship with Larsa started on Season 1, and it was OK, but it was never great. There were moments where we weren’t on the same side. But, later on, I let go, and we ran into each other and said, ‘Hey! All good! No grudges.’ It was fine, but then she left — she went to L.A. and stayed there for 10 years. Then she came back, and I was trying to be open and supportive and welcome her back to the group and welcome her back to Miami. I was doing my best, but eventually, her attitude starts to get to me and rub me the wrong way. I want to be embracing of her, but I can’t stand for certain attitudes and disrespect and certain things that don’t sit well with me … It was a little surprising to me, and as the season progresses, you’ll see my explanation of what I really thought about it. I do explain my real take on that. I wasn’t buying it. I think there’s more to that story that revealed itself through the season, but I didn’t always think that that was a very genuine and opportunistic friendship.

On where she stands with former RHOM adversaries Joanna Krupa and Lea Black: “Joanna got re-married and then had a baby and moved to Poland, so it didn’t make sense for her to be in Miami anymore. Lea has been spending a lot of time in L.A., and unfortunately, we never really reconnected. Even though they were a big part of Seasons 2 and 3, I didn’t think it made sense at that point, where they’re in their lives right now, to rejoin the cast. But I wish them all the best, and I hope they’re living their best lives.”

On bringing Julia and her wife Martina Navratilova onto the scene: “Julia’s my friend, and I brought her into the show with the thought that we needed to have LGBTQ representation in this franchise, so I’m very honored to be the catalyst of that. Julia is such a good representation for that. It makes me feel fulfilled and proud … I feel so humbled that out of all these people, it took me to make that happen, or have that vision to make that happen. Thank you, God, for making me the instrument of representation for a community that has been not represented and has gone through so much through history. I feel humbled, and I feel so proud … It took a little convincing. I had a couple of dinners with Martina and a couple of drinks to make sure she’d come aboard. She was reluctant in the beginning, so I had to explain to her and talk. It took a little convincing, but then I told her, ‘Listen, you’re gonna look good. You’re a legend!’ I love everything she represents. She’s a trailblazer for the gay community and a legend as a sportswoman. I have such deep respect for Martina, and I’ve had the privilege of being friends with them for so long. For me, it was a natural step. When I was asked to bring a friend, I had the choice of many friends that I could’ve brought, but to me, my choice was clear. That’s how I convinced her: I essentially said, ‘Listen, you have been painting. You have all this art.’ She had some shows in Europe, but here in Miami, as a solo show, she’d never had it! I was like, ‘Let me tell the world this other side of Martina! You need to show this because you’re more than a tennis legend.’ And then she said, ‘Yes, OK.'”

Watch In The Know’s full interview with Adriana de Moura below, and stream The Real Housewives of Miami season 4 on Peacock now.

If you enjoyed this interview, check out In The Know’s recent chat with Real Housewives of Orange County star Heather Dubrow here!

The post Adriana de Moura details the return of ‘The Real Housewives of Miami’ after 8 years away appeared first on In The Know.

More from In The Know:

These are the best loungewear deals to grab at the adidas End of Year sale

Make your last meal of the year one to remember with these New Year’s Eve dinner recipes

Woman heartbroken over coworker’s response to her ‘Secret Santa’ gift: ‘Get over yourself’

Toddler has giggle fit during his 'first snowball fight'