'Southern Charm' stars Leva Bonaparte & Naomie Olindo break down all the drama from Season 8
Leva Bonaparte and Naomie Olindo know that this season of "Southern Charm" had its confusing moments. Gibson Johns interviews the duo, who attended JBL Fest in Las Vegas together last week, about all things Season 8 of the Charleston-set series, including their respective dramas with Craig Conover and the context around each of their fights with him. They also discuss the "raw" upcoming reunion that they hope fills in the gaps for viewers, where they stand with Venita Aspen, why Leva skipped out on the second cast trip, what they want to see on the show moving forward and much more.
Video Transcript
[MUSIC PLAYING]
GIBSON JOHNS: Hi, guys. Welcome back to "We Should Talk," a pop culture interview series from "In the Know." I'm your host, Gibson Johns. And today on the podcast, we have Leva and Naomie from "Southern Charm." They were coming to me live from JBL Fest in Las Vegas. So they were together. They were just hanging out. And they were doing media interview for this event.
And they really got into it. We touched upon a lot of different topics when it came to this season of "Southern Charm." And I know that this season was kind of divisive. I think a lot of people didn't like it. I think some people thought it was really disjointed.
I tended to enjoy it. I definitely saw that there were disjointed moments, and there was a bloated cast, and not everyone gelled together, and didn't really feel like one big friend group like it has in the past with this group. But there were moments of promise for sure. And I think that there's potential in figuring it out because there's definitely a lot of really good dynamics in this group.
And we really got into it in this interview. And they spilled some teas and breaking the fourth wall. It sounds like this upcoming reunion is super juicy and intense. And I hope we see that. It sounds like a lot of stuff happens off camera with this group. And I think, with some rejiggering of the cast, that could change, and we could actually see some of that.
No, but Naomie and Leva were great. And they really shared what they thought about a lot of the Craig stuff, a lot of this season, what happens in the finale. They added some really awesome context that we're not getting on the show. And I'm really grateful that they shared it.
So keep listening or keep watching for my interview with Leva and Naomie from "Southern Charm." Tune in to "Southern Charm" on Bravo on Thursdays. And please rate, review, and subscribe to "We Should Talk" on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
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All right, so we are here with Naomie and Leva from "Southern Charm," who are currently at JBL Fest, having much more fun than I am. How are you guys?
NAOMIE OLINDO: Good.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Good.
NAOMIE OLINDO: [INAUDIBLE]
GIBSON JOHNS: So what's happening at JBL Fest? Tell me-- I know there's some performers. What's going on over there?
NAOMIE OLINDO: So tonight we're really excited. Tonight we're going to see Bebe Rexha.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Is it Bebe Rexha?
NAOMIE OLINDO: Bebe, yeah. And I think there's one other concert going on before. It's very well-put-together. There's probably-- we're going to see two people tonight, and--
LEVA BONAPARTE: Yeah. I was excited to see Doja Cat. I feel like that was something, right?
GIBSON JOHNS: Jealous, yes.
LEVA BONAPARTE: I mean, it's basically like-- so I came in and I was like, OK, what is this festival exactly? I'm trying to pick it all up. When you look outside the window, it's like you're at a straight out festival. I feel like I'm 20 years younger right now. I'm feeling like I'm with my best life.
NAOMIE OLINDO: You look 20 years younger.
LEVA BONAPARTE: You look [INAUDIBLE]. And then we're [INAUDIBLE].
GIBSON JOHNS: You're looking great. But are you guys generally, like, festival girlies? Are we into the festival life, or there is this kind of--
LEVA BONAPARTE: I used to [INAUDIBLE] festival [INAUDIBLE] child. I think she's a little bit more like--
NAOMIE OLINDO: A little bit not really though. We're both kind of granny, not going to lie.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Yeah, we're a little bit granny. But when we can sneak into a VIP and enjoy them, that's when our bougie asses are right there.
NAOMIE OLINDO: No, we're so happy to be here though. I think this is, like I said, really well-executed. So I'm really excited.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Yeah, the [INAUDIBLE]. Everyone's organized. And I love JBL speakers because I live by them. Because I throw them around, nothing happens [? with ?] Flip. I actually fight over my Flip. Me and my husband fight over-- I need to just buy another Flip because this is getting crazy.
GIBSON JOHNS: And also everyone has to have one because it's one of those things where it's like, you get together with your friends. And you're like, OK, who brought the speaker? And somebody always forgets, you know what I mean?
LEVA BONAPARTE: Yeah, and the party is wack if the speaker is not good. Let's keep it real.
GIBSON JOHNS: Next question.
LEVA BONAPARTE: It's [INAUDIBLE]. I actually am at a country club, and they don't play music. And everyone at the club waits for me to bring my JBL Flip. And I play it super loud when they're not [INAUDIBLE] there. And then the kids are like, yeah! I'm waiting for [? them ?] to chuck it at the pool, but anyway.
GIBSON JOHNS: I love it. I love it. And I feel like this getaway for you guys, and this kind of like, it's happening at a good time. You're in the comedown from this season. I mean, it's never easy to be in season and have it be airing on TV. Do you feel like this is coming at the right time for you to blow off some steam?
NAOMIE OLINDO: Totally.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Totally.
NAOMIE OLINDO: Oh my gosh, I mean, first off, we survived barely.
GIBSON JOHNS: High five.
NAOMIE OLINDO: Towards the end, it was hairy for sure. But I think we still had fun.
LEVA BONAPARTE: We did.
NAOMIE OLINDO: And yeah, this is like the best--
LEVA BONAPARTE: It was a net positive, you know? But yeah, I feel like the two of us were like Thelma and Louise. Every time we're like, should we just get in the car and get out of here?
[LAUGHTER]
Who's screaming today? And we just finished filming reunion, right? So that was a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot. So yeah, we're happy to be here.
GIBSON JOHNS: How would you characterize the reunion, since you brought it up?
NAOMIE OLINDO: Oh my gosh, it was so surprising.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Yeah, there was a few things that had my jaw on the floor, that I didn't know. And it's actually about a person I'm close to. So there was just-- I think a lot happened very quickly. And even throughout the reunion, I feel like things changed between people. It was really raw, too.
NAOMIE OLINDO: It was almost too raw. It was very, very intimate. And things were discussed that, you know, there's always somewhat of an understanding of, yes, you put your life out there for TV. And you talk about things. But there's always sort of a barrier of things you don't talk about. And that barrier was definitely broken on several levels at separate times. And it was really surprising. So hopefully--
LEVA BONAPARTE: And in several different ways and scenarios. It's like, I guess in our industry, we call it a fourth wall. But it's like there's that stuff. And I mean, they're real. There's real friendships. So not everything happens when a camera is rolling. Things happen when they're not rolling, and then unfortunately, because we can't always keep it together. Producers have to catch up.
So I think also reunion, you'll get a little context to about a lot of things that I think viewers were like, wait, this seems like severe. Or that seems--
NAOMIE OLINDO: This doesn't make sense.
LEVA BONAPARTE: This doesn't make sense. So why was that reaction so intense, you know?
GIBSON JOHNS: Right. And do you generally attribute when viewers are reacting that way because I did notice that for the season as well? Do you attribute that to how things are edited or just things that aren't brought up on camera? How do you think about that as people that are very much in it?
NAOMIE OLINDO: So now, I mean, editors have a really hard job because it's hundreds of hours of footage from multiple different cameras, multiple production teams, that then have to be put together to make sense.
LEVA BONAPARTE: And that's weekly. So we're filming four days, five days sometimes. And so that's hundreds of hours each week, put together into one episode for you guys. This year, we had a new cast. So of course, it's important for the viewer to get to know them. Sometimes there's areas where I think they wanted more from some of us. But it was like, well, you guys have to get to know the new cast.
And then again, it's like a catch-22. You want real friendships, but real friendships have fights off camera. And then you have-- they cut more camera friendships that save their arguments for that. You have to be a really seasoned person to be able to hold it together. That's not me--
[LAUGHTER]
--you know? She's got 3:00 AM texts, just, Leva--
GIBSON JOHNS: So do you love it? Do you wish that you were more like that for the show? Or are you happy being the person that's not bringing it up on camera all the time?
LEVA BONAPARTE: No, I wish I actually-- I admire Naomie because she has like-- I literally read self-help books about being a stoic, being practicing stoicism, because I'm so terrible at it. And she is able to hold it together. She always has decorum. And she's always able to choose her battles.
And for me, it's like I'm a pit bull. I'm just, like, trigger. And she's like, Leva. She's running behind me. It's like a trig-- but I'm just off leash, like I saw a squirrel. I'm off leash.
NAOMIE OLINDO: This is not what you want. This is not what you want.
LEVA BONAPARTE: This is not [INAUDIBLE]. Don't do it. And I'm just like the pit bull that saw a squirrel. They're not getting you back until I get that squirrel. So that's--
NAOMIE OLINDO: [INAUDIBLE]
LEVA BONAPARTE: [? You are ?] dynamic. And she's just sitting on the curb, waiting for it to finish, and then helping me wipe my tears, and also being like, oh, that's not worth it. I'm like, [INAUDIBLE].
GIBSON JOHNS: Yeah, but I think you bring up an interesting point though. I mean, I really enjoyed the season. But it definitely felt like there was some transitional elements to it in terms of where the cast is. It's like yeah, there were some disjointed moments because not everyone-- it's not like one giant friend group. It's different friend groups that have been sort of pieced together. And I don't mind that.
I'm wondering if you feel the same, which is, moving forward, I wish that we can find the right balance of spending enough time with each of you and without adding too many people but adding-- I don't know. It's a really tough balance. At some points in this season, it worked. And some points, I feel like there's improvement to be made.
NAOMIE OLINDO: No, I mean, we thought the same things. As the audience is seeing it, we're seeing it. And we all were like, wait, that's not how I remembered it. Or that's not what our reality was at that time. But it's so hard to convey.
And I think they probably realized once they start editing, like, oh shit, there's too many people. There's too many things committed. And this is going to be really difficult. So I mean, I got to hand it to them. They've still made a show out of it. I can't imagine how hard it would be. But I'm interested to see what changes are made.
If there's [INAUDIBLE] season or things like that.
GIBSON JOHNS: Yeah, and it sounds like the reunion does a lot of explaining, which is really great. Naomie, I'm curious for you. Now that you are at the tail end of this return season, what was the biggest difference in terms of your expectation? Because you've been here, people recognize you, we know your story, and it must have been different in some capacity for you. What was the biggest learning curve or difference for you?
NAOMIE OLINDO: Oh, I think the biggest difference, which was actually a blessing and a curse, is that I didn't have to worry about what someone else was thinking because when I was dating Metul and stuff and filming, it's hard because he didn't want to film and didn't want to be on the show but did want a blue checkmark and all this stuff. So it was very confusing and rightfully so.
LEVA BONAPARTE: [? Shady. ?]
NAOMIE OLINDO: But-- I know.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
NAOMIE OLINDO: And it's like I don't have to worry about what someone is thinking. I just was myself. I did my own thing. I don't regret anything. I'm not embarrased about anything. I just did it. And that's that. And so it was very freeing. And it was a lot of fun.
GIBSON JOHNS: Yeah, I'm sure. And then Leva, for you, I think-- I mean, I think about in the "Housewives" universe, a second season a lot of the time is like, you know what the audience thinks. You have that first experience under your belt. And you have that probably in the back of your mind, like, OK, this is what viewers thought of me the first time. How do I adjust? Was that at all part of your approach to filming the season? How did you approach your second go-around?
LEVA BONAPARTE: A lot of people ask me that. And I feel like last year, we filmed less time. There was five of us. Now this year, there's like-- how many of us? 11 or something. There's a huge amount of us. So of course, certain conversations were a little bit more repeated. But I am exactly the same person I was last year that I am this year. [INAUDIBLE]--
GIBSON JOHNS: I agree.
LEVA BONAPARTE: --without-- I'm really not. I've no problem with confrontation-- don't get me wrong-- ever. But I just really didn't have too many bones to pick. And I think when I did pick a bone, it was like, oh, OK, I get this, or I get that. And then there were certain things that I was just sick of, which is why you see me sort of peace out at [INAUDIBLE] and not go on a group trip because I was just like, these are outside of my boundaries of mental health.
NAOMIE OLINDO: [INAUDIBLE] are four hours of my happy times, you know?
LEVA BONAPARTE: Yeah, it's like as a mom, I am trying. If I'm leaving my husband and child, I want it to be happy time. And if you're ruining the fours hours I have to just like--
NAOMIE OLINDO: My happy time.
LEVA BONAPARTE: It's my happy time. It's like my [INAUDIBLE]. I don't want to go home crying or upset or drained.
GIBSON JOHNS: And so I guess-- I'm curious for you though, Leva, because it's like to play devil's advocate, you are on an ensemble show where you're expected to go on the trips and whatnot. And I'm just wondering what's the balance there, you know what I mean, because part of the gig, I guess, is being in these scenarios where it's like, oh my god, these crazy people are all fighting. But it's like-- you know what I mean?
LEVA BONAPARTE: I mean, the nitty gritty of it is really that I felt like Craig was being out of pocket with Naomie. That's what it boils down to it. And Naomie can have her own opinion about it. But I felt like it was just too much. And it was like, I know that innately, if tables were turned-- because she has no problem being confrontational either, like at all. It's just she delivers it a little differently than I do. I aspire to deliver it with--
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
LEVA BONAPARTE: So I'm just like, wah. But yeah, and I knew, just with the culmination of everything going on, and Craig sort of not maybe admitting that he was stressed out or had to deal with a lot, and it was coming out sideways, I knew innately there was going to be fights. I was going to protect either Taylor or Naomie, not protect, but just-- you know, it's like girl code. [INAUDIBLE]
She doesn't want to engage. She just want to do that anymore. And then it would be me being like, stop doing that. And then it would get turned on me. And I didn't want to deal with that.
And I think you'll see some of that in the finale where I'm thinking, oh, we're going to attend a corporate [? event. ?] Nothing's going to happen. But inevitably, if Naomie's not going to engage, that rage turns to somebody else. And I didn't want to be the receiver of that.
And I have boundaries. If my husband isn't speaking to me that way, another person can't. That's it.
GIBSON JOHNS: Yeah, yeah, that makes--
LEVA BONAPARTE: I don't want women to see that. It's not acceptable.
GIBSON JOHNS: Yeah, I totally get that. And that makes a lot of sense. And then Naomie, I wonder if for you-- you came into this. And you must have known that were going to have to talk about the Craig of it all and sort of hash it out with him or whatever. And it probably-- with his reactions in various scenarios, I'm sure that it maybe lasted longer than you thought it went or was going to go, or didn't go necessarily as you thought it would.
And do you hope that this season is the last time you were going to have to really hammer that home and talk about that? And then we can kind of move on to different--
NAOMIE OLINDO: [INAUDIBLE] It's like, oh, it was so dragged out. I mean, I thought I wouldn't have gone into the season because Craig was the first person that I asked about coming back. And he was super supportive. So I would have never done it had I thought that there was any type of problem there.
And I was really, really surprised that this is something that kept happening over and over and over again. [INAUDIBLE] to the point where I was like, all right-- I mean, even before St. Simons, I was like, are you going to be upset if I'm on this trip? And he was like, no, of course not. It's all good, come. And I'm like, OK, I come. He freaks out on me two nights in a row. Then every time before that, it was like, OK, are you going to be upset if? He'd be like, no.
LEVA BONAPARTE: No, it was a lot-- I mean, that the three of us were in cahoots. Me and Craig wanted her back, you know? Like, bring her back, bring her back. They were so chill and cool. And then she was jarred. I was jarred. I was like, what's happening?
And I think what it boiled down to is he wanted to respect Paige's wishes that he keeps a major distance with Naomie. But I think he couldn't communicate that to Naomie because he was so hard on her when she was respecting Metul's wishes. And he thought that that was a sign of him being a dud, when essentially anyone has the right to say, I don't want that. Paige has the right to say that.
But I think he just didn't want to communicate that to you because then it would make him look a certain way. And it was just a lack of communication, I think, that came out just, like, sideways, sideways. And her and I were--
GIBSON JOHNS: But it's also like an unrealistic-- I get wanting to honor that. And I understand her wanting that. But it's also unrealistic because you're now back on a show together with 10 people and going on trips together. So it's--
NAOMIE OLINDO: Right.
GIBSON JOHNS: Right.
NAOMIE OLINDO: Oh yeah.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Exactly.
NAOMIE OLINDO: Thank you.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Yeah, and I felt bad for her. She's like, I'm not trying to talk to you. [INAUDIBLE]
[LAUGHTER]
So the part you can't say, the fourth wall stuff is like, come on.
NAOMIE OLINDO: When I saw [INAUDIBLE] about us going to coffee, and he's like, why would she call me for coffee? I'm like are you [BLEEP] kidding me? Why would I-- because I actually was like, you should get coffee with Craig. Probably [? not going to ?] say that, but--
LEVA BONAPARTE: So can you imagine? As her friend, I was pissed every time I would [INAUDIBLE]. And people are like, oh, why are you telling Naomie he called you out? Because I was like, to Naomi's face, you're so nice. And then you turn around and act like she's obsessed with you. And she's not. She's dating four other dudes. And you just told me--
NAOMIE OLINDO: OK, whoa whoa, whoa, whoa.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Oh, no, never. I'm just saying-- no, not four other dudes. I'm just saying she's dating.
GIBSON JOHNS: That's the tea.
LEVA BONAPARTE: [INAUDIBLE] But everyone knows. What I meant is she's dating.
GIBSON JOHNS: I know what you mean.
LEVA BONAPARTE: [INAUDIBLE] you know? You are old news. She even has others that are benched. But anyway, the point is the girl is dating. She's not into you. [? He even ?] post what [INAUDIBLE] [? where ?] he's like, she's [INAUDIBLE]. It's not. This is not a thing. And so I felt-- I was like, she was more graceful about it. But I was just like, if I had a steam coming out of my ears and we're [? our ?] cartoon--
NAOMIE OLINDO: I love you so much.
LEVA BONAPARTE: --steam will be coming out of my ears. And the part where he was saying that about Naomie, where he was like, oh, she's like psycho or crazy-- I don't know what he said. But I also probably [? that ?] with-- if Naomi was speaking about you that way, I would also say like, [INAUDIBLE] It's not right. Don't get too--
But with him, it was like we're already on trigger island. So there's no [? coming ?] back, you know?
GIBSON JOHNS: Yeah, and I'm wondering for both of you, because now "Southern Charm" exists in the "Southern Charm" universe. But then there's also crossover with these other Bravo shows. And do you pay attention at all to the conversations around those with the guys from "Southern Charm" that appear on those because-- like with Austen in particular. Those shows didn't do him any favors.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Oh, that's just [? wrong. ?]
GIBSON JOHNS: Those shows don't do Austen any favors in terms of how the public views it.
NAOMIE OLINDO: I just [INAUDIBLE] called the Honda Civic of men. And I don't even watch "Winter House" and "Summer House."
LEVA BONAPARTE: I don't watch it. But I did [? hear that ?] stuff. I saw it on an Instagram thing.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
NAOMIE OLINDO: Yeah, so I think we see-- we'll get tagged in random peripheral things. And that's kind of how found these things out. But I don't think that anyone that's actually on a Bravo show really watches Bravo.
LEVA BONAPARTE: I watch "Housewives." But I don't watch "Summer House."
GIBSON JOHNS: That's separate from your guys' situation.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Yeah, I feel like it's so different.
GIBSON JOHNS: Exactly.
LEVA BONAPARTE: But [INAUDIBLE] I click-- I mean, I don't watch the other ones.
GIBSON JOHNS: And Leva, obviously in the finale, you and Craig have a big blow up. There's a big moment that happens. And, you know, it was interesting because after you guys film that, there's all those accounts that track who follows who and whatnot. And all these people saw that people had unfollowed you-- from the cast-- on Instagram. And I'm sure you saw those posts that had called that out. But there was so much speculation about what went down.
LEVA BONAPARTE: I blocked them.
NAOMIE OLINDO: Yeah, they didn't unfollow her. She blocked them.
GIBSON JOHNS: Oh, you blocked them. OK, so that helps explain a part of it because there is so much speculation about what went down, you know what I mean?
LEVA BONAPARTE: Yeah, it was within hours of the finale, that I-- and I texted her.
NAOMIE OLINDO: I [BLEEP] don't recall.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
LEVA BONAPARTE: This [? year. ?] I have to take her to the grave because she has all the goods. But yeah--
NAOMIE OLINDO: [? My ?] [? mouth's ?] seals in.
LEVA BONAPARTE: --I was really tired and, at the end of the finale, boil down to-- like I said, it was just like a culmination of me just getting tired of Craig.
And I have my own relationship obviously with his partners. I mean, they're on my street. I've been there for short of a decade, you know? When they came in, I helped them shop leases and anything they need with the city. We're very friendly. I helped Craig do a pillow line, like everything. So I have my own relationship with them.
And I think Paige, being an outsider, and kind of being like, oh, you're talking to his team. And I'm like, are we 12? I know his team. We're on-- yeah, so to me it was, she had no context. I wasn't trying to be shady because she didn't have context of what was happening. And I think Craig just immediately got triggered because of that and other things that happened throughout the evening.
And I unfollowed-- specifically it was Kathryn, Madison, Venita-- Kathryn, Madison, Venita--
NAOMIE OLINDO: Craig and Austen.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Craig, Austen, [INAUDIBLE]--
GIBSON JOHNS: Paige.
LEVA BONAPARTE: --and Paige because the girls, when Craig was going out at the grill, piled on. And to me that was just-- I have no respect for them for doing that, you know what I mean, because I've been gracious to really all of them.
And then Austen, we were friends. And I expected Austen to sort of like-- if there's anyone to wrangle him in, it would have been his partner, Jerry, or Austen. And that's the conversation I just had with Jerry. I was like, I'm worried about-- I don't [? know ?] what's going on.
It really was from a place of love. I was like, [INAUDIBLE] I don't know what to do. Please have him stop yelling at me because I know myself. And anyone who knows me well, she can say, like, you have to stop poking the bear.
NAOMIE OLINDO: Yes, what people don't know-- and this is what's so hard about reality shows, and what's caught on camera, what's shown on these shows-- there are a lot of dynamics that happen off camera. So for example, for years-- I met Leva eight years ago or something. [? I don't ?] know. And when I met-- she was already helping Craig then try to do something with himself, and hooking him up with things, and doing deals with him, and helping him tag along with things.
And Craig was, like, sort of gave her credit for it but not really. And so it's a pile on off things that so many people don't know about because love is not going to go, you know, shout it from a mountaintop. But I know. And it's a lot of really generous things that she's done. So to be treated any type of way other than with full respect was unacceptable.
GIBSON JOHNS: Yeah, completely.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
GIBSON JOHNS: And I feel like there's just-- what I think people don't realize is how far back, Leva, you go with everybody, you know what I mean? And we talked about this. And I think our interview during your last season, which was like, you've been around for filming. You've been around this cast a lot. You weren't a cast member, but you're in this world very naturally.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Yeah, I wasn't a cast member for Season 1. Yeah, I've been around then in real life off the camera.
GIBSON JOHNS: Yeah, exactly. So I think that gets lost, I think, sometimes in the context of the show, I feel like. Yeah.
LEVA BONAPARTE: So [? why ?] just bother? I was like, do you know how much I've done for you? Do you know how much I love [INAUDIBLE]. How dare [INAUDIBLE], and a little bit of my ego.
GIBSON JOHNS: Yeah, I want to end with a couple of quick questions, just random things that I was wondering about. Leva, status of the spin-off because I'm really excited about that. What's going on there?
LEVA BONAPARTE: So I'm not permitted to speak too much on it. But I think you guys are going to love it. It's super exciting. It's just a different side of Charleston that you guys have not seen. And it's sort of a younger, more coastal. I almost feel like it's "Laguna Beach" meets "Vanderpump" meets "The Hills" meets-- you know, it's like it's younger. And the cast is just-- I love them.
NAOMIE OLINDO: They're so cute. They're so cute.
LEVA BONAPARTE: They me crazy, but I love them. They [INAUDIBLE] really. And I think you guys will have a good time. And hopefully you'll see it soon.
GIBSON JOHNS: Naomie, where do you stand with Whitney right now? What's going on?
NAOMIE OLINDO: We're still great friends. I mean-- I think, again, the Whitney thing was kind of blown up on the show because it's a show. But it was really important to us that it doesn't ruin our friendship, doesn't affect our friendship whatsoever. We're still great with each other. And nothing but respect for Whitney.
GIBSON JOHNS: Good, good. Fans noticed that Kathryn and Madison weren't really around for a lot of the second half of the season. They weren't in a lot of the group scenes or whatever. Is there an explanation for that? Or are they just not-- or is there a reason for that? Or is that just kind of how the cards fell?
LEVA BONAPARTE: Production allowed us to invite who we wanted to at events. It wasn't like you were forced to go to anything, you know? It was [INAUDIBLE] very authentic. And so I think Madison may have had-- you know, her connection to the group is really Austen. And so there was that.
And then I think Kathryn was going through a breakup. And then she wasn't in the best place, I think, with maybe all the girls. I don't know. I don't know.
NAOMIE OLINDO: I mean, I think, like, I would have invited Madison to any events like I had [INAUDIBLE].
LEVA BONAPARTE: Yeah, she was at your party. She would have been in mine, but we got a little off-camera tiff. [LAUGHS]
NAOMIE OLINDO: Yeah, [INAUDIBLE]. I mean, I think Katherine is just not that close with those people.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Yeah.
GIBSON JOHNS: Yeah.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Lots of [INAUDIBLE].
GIBSON JOHNS: What about you guys-- maybe this will come up with the reunion, but you guys and Venita, is there hope for you guys in the future? Or is that friendship maybe not happening?
LEVA BONAPARTE: Not for me.
NAOMIE OLINDO: I'll be cordial.
LEVA BONAPARTE: I'll always be cordial. I've always been cordial. But I don't think that the viewer-- I think the viewer thinks my situation was based on a text message. And they think her situation was just based on that one moment. But there's so much more context to that, which I'm hoping that you guys will see.
GIBSON JOHNS: Yeah. This one is not meant to be shady, I promise. But I feel like the addition of Marcie to the cast felt a little bit random with just, like--
NAOMIE OLINDO: [INAUDIBLE]
GIBSON JOHNS: Did it feel random to you guys in the filming process?
NAOMIE OLINDO: No, Marcie is so great. She's so fun. She's so cool.
GIBSON JOHNS: She seems fine, it just didn't--
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
LEVA BONAPARTE: [? --very ?] funny, yeah.
NAOMIE OLINDO: She'd outgrown it. She was sober throughout the whole filming. It was [INAUDIBLE], you know what I mean? But she's awesome. She really is.
GIBSON JOHNS: And she seems awesome. She seems awesome. It just didn't totally gel, I feel like, in the season. It just wasn't fully--
LEVA BONAPARTE: What Marcie was--
NAOMIE OLINDO: --closer with [INAUDIBLE].
LEVA BONAPARTE: Oh yeah, Marcy is closer with the guys, so that's sort of what it was.
NAOMIE OLINDO: Sorry.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Then she got engaged and married, so [INAUDIBLE].
GIBSON JOHNS: All right, so wrapping it up, we're running out of time. But you know, I'm hopeful for another season of "Southern Charm." I hope both of you are on it. What do you hope it looks like? Again, we talked a little bit earlier about it being a little-- there are moments where there was some disjointedness. What do each of you hope that the next season of "Southern Charm" could look like?
NAOMIE OLINDO: I hope that we get a more cohesive group. And whether that means we're a part of it or not, we have no idea what's going to happen. We haven't even heard of a new season yet or anything. So I hope it's more cohesive group. And I think it will translate better.
LEVA BONAPARTE: And when it's more cohesive, then we can talk about all our stuff--
GIBSON JOHNS: Yeah, yeah, be more open.
LEVA BONAPARTE: --our real personal stuff. But when it feels disjointed, it's like, I don't trust these two people. So I can't really pour my heart out right now, you know?
GIBSON JOHNS: Yeah, I got it.
NAOMIE OLINDO: [? Fingers ?] crossed, we'll see.
GIBSON JOHNS: [LAUGHS] All right, well, thank you so much for taking the time. You're very generous of your time. Enjoy JBL Fest, enjoy Doja Cat, enjoy Bebe Rexha--
LEVA BONAPARTE: Thank you.
GIBSON JOHNS: --let off some steam from this season. It was great to talk to you, guys. And I'll see you at BravoCon. I'll see you at BravoCon.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Oh yeah, yeah, OK.
GIBSON JOHNS: All right, bye, guys.
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Thanks for tuning in to "We Should Talk." I hope you enjoyed the interview. You can find out more about "In the Know" at intheknow.com. You can follow me, Gibson Johns, @gibsonoma on Twitter and Instagram. And you can listen to all of our interviews, past and future, by searching "We Should Talk" wherever you get your podcasts. Hope to see you next time.
