As the last original Beverly Hills Housewife still standing, Kyle Richards has been through a lot on TV — but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“This show has become such a part of my life after 13 seasons,” Richards, 54, exclusively tells Us Weekly. “It’s hard to think about my life without these relationships.”
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills had its television premiere on Bravo in October 2010 with Richards as a member of the initial ensemble. In her more than ten years on television, she has rarely held back, allowing cameras to record both the joyous occasions like her daughter Portia’s bat mitzvah as well as her past conflicts with sisters Kim Richards and Kathy Hilton.
Even though the 13th season of the show doesn’t begin until next Wednesday, October 25, it’s obvious that Kyle wasn’t scared to talk about the more upsetting times in her life. The focus of the upcoming episodes’ trailers has been on her divorce from her 1996 spouse, Mauricio Umansky.
Kyle admits there have been “many moments” when she’s thought about leaving RHOBH, but her relationships with the cast and crew keep her coming back. She also loves having a record of the more joyous occasions in her life.
“Although we live in Beverly Hills and are on a reality show, we are just normal people,” she explains. “Viewers have followed so many beautiful moments with my family over the years. My favorite memories to look back on are all the milestones with my kids, like having Portia’s third birthday on camera for season two and now she’s in her second year of high school! It’s special to have all of those moments caught on tape.”
Similar to the majority of Real Housewives, Kyle is also working on a number of side projects. She is both an actress and a producer, and she is “very excited” about numerous screenplay projects she is now working on. She starred in the past year’s Halloween Ends and has a role in the upcoming Christmas movie The Holiday Exchange. She tells Us, “I adore having a creative involvement behind and in front of the camera. I’ve been performing since I was a young child, therefore I won’t ever stop.
While many Housewives have buckled under the strain, Kyle perseveres in the face of squabbles, cast changes, and repeated attempts at character assassination. In response to a question about what she hopes her reality TV legacy will be, she tells Us, “I just want people to know that I am always sharing my true and authentic self.”
If there were a Real Housewives Hall of Fame, Kyle would be the first inductee (as of yet).