From the opening moments of our favourite guilty pleasure; Selling Sunset, Chrishell Stause was our everywoman. The new girl, the smiley, happy beam of positivity about to be crushed by the toxicity of Mean Girls Inc aka The Oppenheim Group.
The soap actress-turned-real-estate maestro was soon a fan favourite precisely because she was all of us on our first day at school, our entry point into the mad world of LA real estate and warring stilettos. From fights with co-star Christine Quinn to her heartbreaking on air divorce from husband Justin Hartley; Chrishell has entertained us and broken our hearts in equal measure.
So, this week, GLAMOUR sat down with the nicest girl in the Oppenheim Group to find out what’s next for Selling Sunset, if she’ll ever patch things up with Christine and how she’s balancing million-dollar-listings with foxtrotting across US TV in Dancing with the Stars. Here’s what we learnt…
She’s never been more in demand…but she loves it.
After months of lockdown at home, Chrishell is now balancing her successful real estate career at the Oppenheim with her stint on Dancing with the Stars and she’s so busy she has scheduled our chat early in the morning LA time, right before another punishing day at the rehearsal studio.
But it’s not just dance rehearsals and escrows that are keeping her busy. Thanks to the confluence of back-to-back seasons of Selling Sunset and a global lockdown which glued us to our TV screens, the show truly exploded in 2020, and with it – her fame.
“I mean, it really did feel like a kind of explosion and I felt that not even being outside of my four walls during lockdown- you know?” she says, “The show just kind of snowballed into this hit. By the time season three came, it was like everyone was talking about the show and it was blowing our minds. It was crazy.”
Her sudden chaotic schedule could not have come at a better time.
“I’m really grateful for this experience because not that long ago, we were locked up in our homes watching Tiger King, and now I’m dancing the tango next to Carole Baskin.”
ABC Publicity
She’s not making up with Christine anytime soon…
The arch-frenemies of Selling Sunset; Christine and Chrishell have been in a Birkins-at-dawn standoff since day one. And whilst hostilities seemed to thaw somewhat in season two and three, the drama has continued off-air since season three wrapped.
From Christine’s comments about Chrishell’s divorce to Chrishell blocking Christine on social media (we can confirm she is still blocked) the pair have seemingly never been more estranged. Chrishell even broke her typical polite silence to openly respond to Christine’s accusation that she has a “victim mentality”- posting on instagram and twitter that, “I am a victor of many things and thriving. I can’t wait for you to get there so you can stop with this nonsense.”
So what has that turbulent relationship been like? And where is it now?
“I feel like in the beginning, there was a lot of me striving for acceptance and striving to fit in and at a certain point, you have to realise it’s just not going to work and it’s going to take away from my own happiness in trying to please her,” she explains, “It shouldn’t be that much work to get along with somebody, it really shouldn’t. I don’t think that’s the case with everyone but it is with me and so for whatever reason, we haven’t really been able to to work it out in a cohesive way.”
Sometimes, you just have to recognise when things aren’t working – or when a relationship is harming, not helping you.
“Absolutely! I feel like I’ve had to just get to a place where I have to be okay with that. And, you know, I wish her all the best, we’re off doing our own things and that’s okay,” she says “You have to be able to recognise those relationships where you have to realise the effort is not working. Let’s just cut our losses and move on.”
The Oppenheim Group really IS splitting up…
Working conditions have, apparently, improved for Chrishell due to the fact certain people are no longer working from the office…
“Christine and Davina haven’t really been in the office,” she smiles, “So there hasn’t really been any drama and everyone that’s been in the office…. we all get along so well. And so it’s really been kind of peaceful as far as that goes.”
She also confirms the news that Brett Oppenheim has left the brokerage to set up his own.
“Maybe that’s why it’s like peaceful” she conjectures, hinting at the fact the drama does not just happen when the cameras are rolling; “I feel like people think that we do this for TV, and it’s like, no this, these things happen whether the cameras were there or not. The group really is splintered, he already has started a whole new brokerage. Which girls are going with him… those are the conversations that are happening right now.”
Chrishell confirms her loyalty is to Jason, Mary and Amanza, but says she is intrigued by who will make the jump to Brett’s and whether we really will see a Battle of the Brokerages next season- as the two powerhouse, pocket-sized Oppenheim twins go head to head.
And speaking of next season…
ABC Publicity
Are we getting a Season 4?
“They are going to want to get those cameras rolling so that they can catch all of this split because I don’t know where everyone’s gonna fall,” she teases… “And as for Season 4? I’m not allowed to say, but I think you’re gonna hear some news really soon.”
Going through a divorce on TV was painful…but watching it back was cathartic.
She found out about her divorce via text- mere minutes before the whole world knew. Chrishell’s divorce from Justin was a dominating factor of Season Theee, and one she did not shy away from -letting cameras follow her whilst it played out. It was a painful watch, and no doubt far more painful to experience.
“What’s interesting is, when I was doing it, it was extremely difficult. It’s one of the most difficult things that I’ve gone through personally and then I also had to balance filming while going through something,” she says, “That was a dark point for sure. However, the interesting cathartic part of it happened after. I thought it was going to be re-traumatising to watch it back but I could have never imagined that people really connected to the pain in a way that made it feel purposeful. If I can take something terrible and try and put a positive spin on it, or, or, you know, inspire somebody else that might be going through the same thing, that’s a good thing.”
Chrishell’s 2020 was, of course, not just horrendous because of her divorce and a global pandemic, but the tragic loss of her beloved mother to cancer in July. Her bravery and unwavering positive face in such awful circumstances, has further entrenched her appeal to her fans.
“We all go through these things,” she reflects, “And we live in a world of Instagram where it’s like, this is like my life and everything’s perfect. It’s kind of nice to break that down a little bit and be real.”
She’s ready to date again…
“If I’m being 100% honest, like my personal life, could you do some work?” she laughs, “Like, I want to find my person, you know, so, I’m open to anything and at this point, I’m, I’m so excited that my career is going really well. But I also want to try and find a balance so that I can, you know, have it all!”
Not a great year to get on the dating scene though?
“Err no! It’s been a little difficult,” she says, “But having to show up at rehearsal with all these professional dancers and other celebrities in their spandex and sparkles hasn’t been a bad way to go…”
ABC Publicity
But she’s not friends with Carole Baskin…yet
This month, Chrishell became the latest celebrity to don her dancing shoes and brush up her tango, for the 29th season of the US version of Strictly; Dancing with the Stars. In a moment of wish fulfilment for Netflix fans everywhere; the two titans of lockdown TV bingeing came together, as her fellow dancing cast member is Tiger King’sCarole Baskin.
“I have met her but we’re not friends,” says Chrishell, “but it doesn’t mean we won’t be at some point. I’ve met her and she seems very sweet.”
Could you make friends with her and then find out if she really did kill her husband?
“Well hang on, if you really think she’s a murderer that that is terrible! Why would I want to be friends with her if you think that’s true?”
Fair.
“You’re just here for the tea, aren’t you?” she laughs.
Also, fair.