Gizelle Bryant is enjoying a new chapter of The Real Housewives of Potomac.
"Potomac is back to what it used to be," Bryant explained, throwing a slight dig at last year's poorly received Season 8. She described the new season as "Fun, shady drama but not too intense, very funny ... you know, all the things that people have just loved us for."
The OG of the beloved Bravo franchise caught up with Parade recently to break down the new season, how the show shook things up with some fresh faces, and her ever-evolving relationship with Karen Huger.
Bryant helped establish the show in 2016 alongside Huger (aka the Grande Dame) and Ashley Darby, all three of whom returned for Season 9. It's these longstanding relationships are the secret to the show's success.
"Even these relationships, like me and Karen, still seem fresh," Bryant explained. "Even though we've been arguing for a decade, the argument still seems fresh!" Her relationship with Huger has certainly been a rollercoaster over the years, but in the wake of Huger's recent DUI, the season opens with Bryant supporting Huger in her time of need while still holding her accountable.
"I handled it like I would with a sister," Bryant explained. "When I heard the news it really shook me. It really scared me. I really felt like, 'Oh my god, my friend could have potentially died, or she could have hurt someone else and been in humongous trouble.' I just wanted to have those real conversations with her."
The new season also ushers in some fresh faces to the group after the exit of Bryant's bestie Robyn Dixon and her friend-turned-enemy Candiace Dillard Bassett post-Season 8. Bryant gave us her thoughts on new housewife Stacey Rusch.
"Throughout the course of the season, you will see Stacey has a lot to say," Bryant teased. "I truly appreciate her. She's like the little gnat that won't go away. I like her, I like her around but then I want her gone." She added that it's refreshing that Rush does not take herself "too seriously" and doesn't "edit" herself.
The biggest shift this season, however, is the blossoming friendship between Bryant and Dr. Wendy Osefo. While the two started off as pals in Season 5, things quickly shifted in the later seasons, with the two barely speaking to each other for years. This season, the two seemed determined to find the right path.
"The 'me and Wendy' of it all was very much convoluted in other people's issues," Bryant said. "I didn't want to hash it out ... but I've suffered loss, I'm at a new stage in my life, especially with my children, and when I look at the group, I don't want to be stuck in a place because we can't hash things out."
In Episode 2, the two met for lunch and broke down some of their issues with each other, making their first effort in years at rebuilding a friendship. "I feel like the stage was set for us to be able to sit down and have a real conversation and see where it went," Bryant elaborated. "If the conversation went left, it went left, but at least let's just sit down and figure it out!"
We also asked Gizella bout the upcoming Love Hotel series set to hit Peacock next year. The Real Housewives spinoff sees Bryant, Darby, Luann de Lesseps of RHONY and Shannon Storms of RHOC in a reality dating series in Cabo San Lucas.
Bryant just got back from filming, and told us that she was "in a love bubble of sorts." She teased, "I learned a lot about myself that I will take with me. I can't really talk much about it but the 'mens' came through!"
"I do wish there were more options for me," she added. "I felt like some of the men were a little younger and more children. Of course that's not me. I do wish there were a couple of more just for Gizelle, but you know, Love Hotel 2!"
