Why Did Phaedra Parks Depart RHOA? Season 16 Interview

Phaedra Parks throwing shade through the first jiffy of her return to The Actual Housewives of Atlanta wasn’t deliberate—it was intuition.

“I used to be simply being myself,” Phaedra tells StyleCaster. “And, you realize, with Frick and Frack collectively, it’s simply enjoyable,” she provides of reuniting with Porsha Williams on display.

In case you missed it, Porsha popped over to Phaedra’s home for the grand reveal of the favored lawyer’s return. Inside seconds, Phaedra poked enjoyable at newbies Brit Eady, Angela Oakley, and Kelli Ferrell. She teased Brit for being, properly, exterior, and affectionately referred to Kelli as a backyard gnome. As for Angela, Phaedra claimed she didn’t even know she was married to Charles Oakley.

“I didn’t know,” she tells StyleCaster, doubling down. “I’ve identified him for years, and I had no thought he was married. I’ve by no means met Angela Oakley a day in my life. It’s the reality.”

A couple of days earlier than Phaedra’s return aired, Drew Sidora sat down with Carlos King and threw a little bit shade of her personal, saying Phaedra didn’t do a lot moreover give the ladies “faces.” Phaedra’s response? “Wolves bark on the moon, however while you’re the moon, you retain shining.”

Issues are additionally higher between Phaedra and Shamea Morton. Longtime RHOA followers know the 2 have been on rocky phrases earlier than Phaedra’s Season 9 exit, largely resulting from allegations that Shamea and Kandi Burruss had been intimate—amongst different issues. However in response to Phaedra, they’ve since made amends, thanks partially to a mutual pal: Fiskani Kaira, proprietor of The Ivy Showroom, the place Phaedra is a silent companion.

I don’t have to fret about anybody else’s opinions.

“[Shamea] and I’ve crossed paths lots as a result of she frequents the showroom, we’ve labored collectively, and she or he even bought my boys tickets to see the Atlanta Hawks,” Phaedra says. “Our relationship has developed. Folks evolve. Plus, it’s been so lengthy since I used to be final on the present.”

Whereas Phaedra and Shamea are on good phrases now, Shamea and Porsha aren’t—not less than, not like they was. The season explores the fallout of their friendship, which some followers say has been a very long time coming.

In accordance with Phaedra, although, it’s all about giving grace. “Friendships are laborious, and Porsha is clearly having a really tough time in her life. Navigating divorce, and doing that publicly, it’s tough,” she says. “When persons are having marital points and going by way of issues, they’re not at their finest. She’s at a spot the place she’s simply making an attempt to stay sane. You want mates to only perceive and assist you.”

Phaedra says she needs nothing greater than to assist Porsha, and gushes about their dynamic—one which was undeniably icy the final time we noticed them collectively on Bravo.

I’m free to be who I’m.

Throughout the Season 9 reunion, Porsha alleged that Phaedra was the one who instructed her Kandi and Todd Burruss needed to drug her. The rumor exploded, with all the ladies in tears. Phaedra apologized, however her relationship with Kandi (who left following Season 16 after 14 years) has remained strained.

After a hiatus, Phaedra returned to Bravo through Married to Medication Season 10, earlier than making her method again to RHOA following a tense M2M departure.

“They actually needed me again,” she says, including that it was truly Porsha who made the decision and requested her to rejoin. “I need to be someplace the place I could make an affect. Porsha and I’ve all the time remained shut, and the followers needed to see me once more. The entire issues matched up for me, so when issues align, I act in accordance.”

Regardless that we’re just one episode in, it already appears like Phaedra is again the place she belongs. She appears noticeably happier than she was on Married to Medication, which ended together with her leaving the solid journey after her ex-husband Apollo Nida and his then-wife Sherien Copes confirmed up. She additionally skipped the M2M reunion.

“That’s a special group of girls,” she says of the medical doctors and medical doctors’ wives. “They’re very completely different from the Housewives. The banter was very completely different. I imply, God bless. Housewives are simply … very assured. I’ll say that,” she provides with a smile.

Nonetheless, there’s no dangerous blood between her and the M2M solid. Phaedra says she’s nonetheless in contact with a number of, specifically Dr. Contessa Metcalfe, Lateasha “Candy Tea” Lunceford, and Toya Bush-Harris.

I need to be someplace the place I could make an affect.

As for what to anticipate from Phaedra this season of RHOA, one factor’s already clear: she’s in a brand new period. The church hats and black tea clothes are gone. When she opened the door to greet Porsha, she was carrying head-to-toe Gucci and rocking platinum hair. What sparked the transformation?

“Effectively, while you first noticed me, I used to be married to an individual who was very controlling,” Phaedra says. “Now, I’m free to be who I’m, and I don’t have to think about my companion. I’m single, happy, and profitable. I can do what I need, and I don’t have to fret about anybody else’s opinions.”

She says her trend displays her new mindset: “Glad and free,” she provides. “I’m simply very comfortable.”

Whereas she’s embracing this new chapter, one factor stays her high precedence: motherhood. “My profession clearly impacts my kids,” she says of sons Ayden and Dylan, whom she shares with Apollo. “We all the time have roundtables at our residence about what I’ll and received’t do. My first precedence is all the time being a mom and defending my boys. I’m not ever going to place them in any place the place they should defend me.”

Surprisingly, it was her son Ayden who inspired her to return. “He remembers. Dylan, not a lot, however Ayden undoubtedly has vivid reminiscences of being on tv. So, in the event that they’re fantastic with it, I’m fantastic with it. That was just about the dialog earlier than I accepted the job.”

The Actual Housewives of Atlanta airs on Sundays at 8 p.m. on Bravo.

CREDITS:

Photographer: George Chinsee

Artistic Director: Stephanie Cui

Hair: Alonzo Arnold

Make-up: Tomilola Babalola