Jill Zarin doesn’t understand her feud with Reza Farahan.
Following their time together filming The Goat for Prime Video, the 60-year-old Real Housewives of New York City alum suspected that the former Shahs of Sunset star, 50, had issues with her due to the preconceived notions he took away from his days watching her on Bravo as she also shared the “hardest” part of her recent plastic surgery.
“He had this imaginary history with me that I’m not really aware of,” Jill told Us Weekly of Reza on July 4. “I’ve only met him a few times. Honestly, he was a fan of the Real Housewives when I first met him. I think that he felt like he knew me.”
“It happens a lot when you are known on television. When you meet that person, you feel like you know them,” she continued. “They do. They know my mother, they know my dog. And I think that he expected more from me.”
While Jill and Reza had tense moments during filming, Jill confirmed she stands by her behavior.
“I gave him loyalty until he broke an alliance with [Kristen Doute]. Once he threw her out of the house and didn’t ask me or talk to me about it, that was it,” Jill noted. “I think it was a fair game. I don’t think I put him on a bad team. In fact, he had a better chance of winning.”
According to Jill, she felt that she actually gave Reza an advantage by failing to include him on her team during his final challenge. After all, she was safe from elimination, which meant that her teammates would be vulnerable if they lost the competition.
“He was one out of four. I don’t think he understood math because you don’t want to be on the team with The Goat [winner of the week] because that person can’t go home. So if you are on their team, it’s one out of three,” she shared. “And if you’re not on their team, it’s one out of four. Which would you rather be on? I actually did him a favor, but he thought it was a popularity contest.”
Even now, Jill remains confused about why Reza was so upset with her on the show.
“He thought I did something and everybody had the same kind of moments with people [on the show]. Why he held this grudge — I thought at least a year later it would’ve been fine,” she continued. “And he’s still holding onto it. I don’t even know what to say. I did nothing that I wouldn’t do again. I don’t think I did anything wrong. No one thinks I did anything wrong. I think he just lost it.”
During his own interview with Us Weekly months ago, Reza reflected on calling Jill a “f*cking bitch.”
“I usually don’t lead with regrets in my life. I hate that emotion. I regret letting Jill into my life. At the time, it was how I felt. And honestly, Jill is a little bit of a b*tch.”
He also said that while he and Jill butted heads, he bonded with everyone else.
“People really showed me how good they are. Most people — not Jill — but most people did,” he noted. “I regret my alliance or thinking I had an alliance with Jill. I feel like had I not known Jill, I would have had a better experience. She acted like a beast in the house — kind of like she did on Below Deck,” he claimed, referring to Jill’s drama after appearing on season 11 of the Bravo series. “So she was a beast in the house. She acted like she owned the mansion and that production were her servants, which was a little off-putting. I feel like had I not had a relationship with Jill coming into the house, it probably would have benefited me greatly.”
In another interview, with Life & Style, Jill said that when it comes to her lower facelift and getting fat transferred to her hands, the “hardest part” was finding the right doctor.
“Once you do, the rest should be easy … My surgeon — Dr. Ira Savetsky — gave me the confidence I was looking for,” she revealed.
After appearing on the second season of Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip, Jill admitted that when it comes to doing another season, she’s ready to “pass the virtual baton” after having a good run with the series. That said, she’s “still close” with a few of her former RHONY castmates.
“Over time, relationships evolve, and some have grown stronger while others have naturally drifted apart. But there’s always a special connection that all of the Housewives from every franchise share,” she explained.
Speaking of her annual luxury luncheon, which, in part, benefits the Bobby Zarin Memorial Trust, honoring her late husband Bobby Zarin, Jill said it’s important to keep his legacy alive.
“Bobby was an incredible man, husband, and friend to everyone. I have yet to meet someone who didn’t love and respect him. Some people doubted that I would continue to honor his legacy, and many have commented on his family being absent at this event since his passing, which is very painful for [Ally Shapiro] and [me],” she admitted.
Then, after saying she hopes to teach her daughter Ally “to trust her gut” and “always believe in herself,” Jill offered an update on her relationship with her boyfriend, Gary Brody.
“He’s incredibly supportive, and I’m so grateful for him. As for marriage, I believe in enjoying the journey. We’ll see what the future holds,” she teased.
As for what’s next, Jill added, “I’m always looking for new projects and ways to grow personally and professionally. I still have my rugs at jillzarin.com. We have so many opportunities that we really have to pick and choose them carefully.”
