Brynn Whitfield became an instant fan favorite when she joined The Real Housewives of New York City reboot last year—but she can admit it's been a huge transition to join reality TV without any prior experience.
Whitfield shares what she's learned since opening up to having her life documented on screen in this week's episode of the Marie Claire podcast "Nice Talk." While the marketing and communications consultant has thoroughly enjoyed starring on RHONY, now in its second season, she also revealed what moments of being on a reality show can make her feel "powerless."
The TV personality explained that it can be challenging to watch moments when you may have been in the wrong, or realize later on how someone else perceived you. "You feel powerless when you had a conversation with someone, you know your intentions, you know what said, you know the hundred other conversations that you had with that person prior. And then you see their confessional and it's a 180," she says. "It's like, 'That's not how that went. That wasn't my intention. That wasn't what happened.' But somehow that was your reality. So that's hard. And that feels very powerless."
Whitfield adds, "Especially if it's about a serious topic, that's really close to your own heart, that's hard. That's really, really difficult to watch back."
She explains that she's learned to cope with those kinds of interactions by feeling "seven phases of grief," while wrestling with how to respond or deciding to save any confrontation for the season's reunion. "You go through many different things. You talk to your family and friends around you who know you, who can remind you who you are. And then you just try to keep calm and make a decision about what to do and how to handle it," says Whitfield.
The reality star also shares on "Nice Talk" what advice she's gotten from Housewives alum, including the beloved Luann de Lesseps, a.k.a. Countess Luann, from the original run of RHONY.
"[Luann] told me last week when I saw her, she was like, 'You're very real and that will get you very far,'" Whitfield says on the podcast. "She said, 'Keep being real because people can tell.'"
Whitfield also notes how much being on RHONY for only two seasons has made her admire Luann and other longtime franchise stars. "I've done this now for two seasons and, it's funny, as a viewer, you sit there and watch and you say, 'That's so easy. You get your dinners paid for. How hard is it?' When I now see people like Kyle [Richards] and Luann, I'm like, 'You women are made of steel.' They are badasses. It's not easy to do."
She adds, "Even when it's easy, it's not easy. It's a lot. And the calendar of the filming and the thing and then press and then the show airing and then starting the circle all over again. It's not for the faint of heart. They're just iron women, truly. It's a lot to do this and to navigate it as well as they have."
Whitfield opens up more about her decision to join reality TV, her style evolution, financial security, and more on this week's installment of "Nice Talk." The episode is out now wherever you listen to podcasts.
