‘Selling Sunset’ star Mary Bonnet unpacks explosive Chrishell Strause drama with ‘VRT’

‘Selling Sunset’ star Mary Bonnet unpacks explosive Chrishell Strause drama with ‘VRT’

This is not the brokerage that that he built. This is not the way that professionals behave. And and yes, we are doing a TV show and and we have to answer to things, but this has gotten so out of hand. Virtual reality. [Music] Mary Bonet, Danny and I are so excited to have even more time with you. We were just chatting with you on Patriix Radio, but now we’re over here at virtual reality. We just can’t get enough of you. I can’t get enough of you guys. What are you doing for the rest of the day? I mean, you’re really busier than us because you are cuz you just have selling sunset being out. You were very busy talking about it, reliving it. Yeah. It seems like it’s getting easier though to to interact with your memories from season 9 cuz it wasn’t super fun filming. But it seems like you are in a better place though to You’ve processed it, right? Yeah. I mean, I I’ve processed it. Um, yeah, I think, you know, new events that come up, like new cast members, like comments and stuff are always difficult, but I’ve like shielded myself from it, so that that makes it easy. But I’ve I’ve recovered from the trauma of like the breakin and everything like that. And I feel safe again and and everything that police have been able to come back from after the fire. So, we do have more of a presence. We’ve got private security. So, I I feel safe again in my house. So, it is it is kind of crazy when you think of it. A lot of your castmates really do live online. Like, they’re constantly in the comment section posting and everything, but you never work. That’s a good question cuz you I don’t Are you busy working? I was going to ask you why you don’t really uh operate like that. You’re not always like commenting, reacting to everything. Is it because you’re just busy working and you don’t want to both? I I refuse to do that. I think I don’t like that and I don’t think it’s healthy and I’m busy working so I I I don’t know where they find the time but yeah I mean it’s it’s a lot of work when the first show when when the show first came out and you realize that oh people have opinions about this and they’re sharing them online. Did you did you look at comments back in the day? Like how did your relationship with that sort of evolve? Yeah, I looked at comments back in the day. Um, and then the more the show, you know, got successful and it depends on my work schedule, but most of the time I have someone I’m not exactly the best with social media and so you wouldn’t be able to tell like your accounts are fire. Well, it’s because I have a social media manager and and they come up with stuff and they when they follow me around. I have never been a person to like sit there, oh, I’m here. I’m here. I’m like I like to be present and like and whenever I go meet somebody or do or go to a place I’m just present in that situation. So I completely forget. I will actually watch people filming themselves and I’m like oh that’s going to be so cute. Never dawn on me to actually do it myself and then I leave I’m like I didn’t even get one picture. I didn’t get one thing. Oh that I feel that so much. Like I never forget like if I have like a weekend with all my friends I’m like none of us took a photo. Yeah. And Yeah. You wish you did but it’s like you’re just having fun you had a good time. Yeah. Wait, and speaking of being present too on um the radio show you were opening up about how you did take a step back for a little bit and re-evaluated your relationship with alcohol. Yeah. How was that? And how what did you realize during that time for yourself? So it it used to help like like um just you know something would be stressful. I’m like oh like just take the edge off. Um, and then well, when you live this life, it’s like every day there’s something crazy dramatic going on. And then I just started feeling like it was it was causing more anxiety and and I was I mean there was no issues. Nothing bad ever happened. But um but just for myself, I’m always very very self-aware and I’m always like I’m very self-critical and and so when I I was looking at I’m like I can’t remember for the last couple months one day where I didn’t have at least one drink. I was like that’s not cool. And so I was like okay we’re going to we’re going to take a break here. And nothing bad happened. No one ever noticed. I didn’t drop the ball on anything. But for me just for my health, for my mental health, I thought we’re going to take a break. And I did and it was easy and it was good. I feel great. And um now, you know, if I want to go have a toast with somebody or something, I’ll do that. But I’m not into I don’t really want to drink. I don’t want to do anything. I just don’t think it’s serving me um like it used to. What has been the biggest benefit so far to not drinking? Um I think that I think that I can keep my emotions more in check. um and my head is clear uh where I’m not I’m not um overreacting to things or or stuff like that like where I can just from a more calm state of mind without anxiety about what what’s going to happen is this going to spin out or like whatever the outcome’s going to be I can look at it from like a very logical standpoint which I I I a good drinker I’m always happy and and I like never I always know what I’m doing and and stuff like that. So, I was actually a good drinker. I would never get drunk. Like, it’s just for my health. I just thought this is in every aspect of my life. I’m going to take a step back. But, um um you know, I have mocktails all the time now. And it’s I mean, you feel like it’s the same thing to me. I’m like, you still I had chips and sauce and guac yesterday and and a virgin margarita and I’m like, you know what I’m saying? I’m like to me it’s the same thing. It’s it’s like the festive thing. I don’t need the alcohol in it. And my brain’s still super clear afterwards. And so I just think and my liver, my kidneys love me. Oh, I bet. And I feel honestly, it’s funny. I don’t know if you are tapped into any housewives franchise, but Margaret Joseph’s on Jersey Housewives doesn’t drink. And she Okay. Is grateful for it while filming the show cuz she’s like, “No one can pull anything over me. I remember everything I said. I remember everything I do.” And she’s a girl who likes to keep her seats. Yeah. Yes. How do you feel if you were because I know right now we are in between um selling sunset seasons and I know you probably are going through internal dialogues of if you would want even to do more selling sunset. Yeah. Would you feel like you like would be able to be more impenetrable not drinking because you’re like no you can’t try to even though that never happened to you really but no one can try to like throw something over on me because you’re like no I was coherent. I was drinking like seltzer. Yeah. Um, I think well I think I always remembered what happened and stuff like that, but I think I would just be less tolerant because when when I was just like I’m just going to be oblivious to things. I’m just going to have fun and be oblivious because I can’t you can’t change people. You can’t change their actions. I can only control me. And so my version of controlling was just be be oblivious to it and just have fun instead. And and and it it didn’t work out. then I start getting more anxiety afterwards. So, um, so now I think I just don’t want to be involved in it. If if it’s going to be this negative and if it’s going to be this kind of, um, name calling and in different things back and forth, I’m like, I’m good. I don’t I don’t want this in my life. Yeah. Now, obviously, you’re not you don’t talk to Chelsea. You don’t really talk to Cricelle. Things with those those relationships don’t really exist, but everyone else on the cast seems to to get along. If you could bring back two people to replace Cricelle and Chelsea. Okay, so Heather, we’re bringing back Heather. And who else? Who else would would who would get the other spot? It has to be a previous cast member. Is there someone new to add into the mix? Who else? I told, you know, one of my friends, Paloma, was just um I was just talking to her. I’m like, you should join because she she did something in Atlanta. um and she was getting her license there and um we’ve become friends. My husband and I uh met um uh this couple, Lawrence Robinson. I don’t know if you guys know, he’s an actor, but the sweetest couple ever. He walked a runway with him um for prostate cancer. Wow. And so they had like different actor, celebrities, and stuff like that doing this thing. So we became friends with him and his girlfriend. We’ve been out with them like quite a few times. and she I realized that she got was getting her license in in um Atlanta. She’s like an influencer and stuff. I was like you should do it here. Maybe you should come work for the group because she’s fun and and kind of she’s got a big personality and um a good sense of fashion. Yes. Oh my god. Great sense of fashion. And I think that girl would help me with like getting the photos because when we were out I was like I was sitting there and watching her. I was like you do a lot of photos. I was like she’s so good at it. She gets all the angles and everything. I was like, “Can you do some of me because I know how to do that.” So, I think she Yeah, she’s amazing. So, I I’ll talk to Netflix about about maybe interviewing her. Yeah, she’s she’s a She’s good fun. How did we feel about Sandra Vara on the show this season? I thought I thought she was a fun addition. She’s so fun. She’s so like random. She is hilarious and and she’s got such personality. Yeah. Um, she’s got the kindest heart and she and I have become close. Yeah. Good. Yeah. She’s really really a good time. You’re right though. She is kind of random. Like the times that she chooses to address conflict. It’s like, girl, they were just trying to show you a house and now it’s awkward. Like, what is going on? The funniest part on the on the reunion, too, cuz the the tensions were high. They did cut it out, right? Where she’s like, just so I want everybody know, I am not a Trump supporter. And and we were like, where did that come from? What are you talking? She probably heard me of this, Maga that. And she was like, I am not. Well, cuz they were just fighting back and forth like like crazy. And like what you guys saw was a fraction of it. And cuz it was 13 hours of filming. How long did the Emma versus Cricelle over Blake convers? Like how long was that? Oh god, it was that was probably a good hour. Oh my goodness. At least an hour. at least an hour. I think too where it’s like the back and forth fighting but kind of like the facts are staying the same like where it’s like you don’t like him. Emma’s like I do like him. Were they It’s almost like there’s no point in fighting because neither of them are going to change their ways. Well, Emma’s not even saying that she she’s not even saying that she’s like no it was toxic and I and I stayed longer than I should. I know it wasn’t healthy, but who hasn’t done that? and and but it’s more Cricelle taking that friendship and and and private things from from their friendship and what she knew and going to press and social media just to hurt her. Um because she was upset that she did that Emma didn’t tell her like didn’t check in with her or tell her everything. And then Emma’s like, “Well, because you were not supportive and I knew I would get in trouble with you.” Um, do you feel like your relationship with Emma has been able to grow since she and Cricelle have taken We’ve always been friends. Okay. So, that had nothing to do with Okay. Yeah, we’ve always been friends. We’ve I’ve I don’t have problems with any like I I don’t normally This season’s like gotten really weird, but um I don’t I’ve been friends with really everybody even if we don’t talk all the time cuz Emma was like kind of there was like that little threesome that was like on one island and everybody was on another island. But no, Emma’s like I mean she just she’s the same as I am where she’s like it’s a people’s behavior. She’s like I don’t want to be around that negativity. Has she been leaning on you more during this mess? Yeah. We just went to lunch together the other day. Sandra came with us too cuz Sandra was she’s new. She doesn’t understand the social media. You know she’s like Mary I’m seeing comments. She’s like what is happening to you? Like what’s happening like in this? And I was like don’t worry just don’t look. And she and she’s getting backlash and stuff. People just like to talk behind a screen and it’s like and people make comments about things that they know nothing about. You see a clip of 10-second clip, you don’t know like the year that we’re living. That was also the interesting thing too. You were mentioning when we were talking to you at Sirius that um a lot of your issue with the bouquet and everything was from production. Yeah, I was and that it was like a fight with producers. Yeah, I was yelling at production for because they staged it and I was mad at them. I was like because they first of all, Chelsea doesn’t know when what my st when my scene is or what time or where. And so they had to have set it up. And I was like, I told you don’t blindside me. Don’t start anything with me right now. I just got robbed. I’m feeling on edge and stuff. I don’t want I can’t have any anything else that I have to deal with right now. I let you in my house. Don’t pull anything with me. And they and they just kept pushing them. Who’s it from? Who’s it from? Mary, who’s it from? And I was like, stop. I was like, we’re not playing games right now. And so then I got mad and I yelled at them. I wasn’t mad at Chelsea. I know that you saw Nicole’s comments on TikTok about the whole situation. And she came up with this theory. Oh well, Mary could have just read the note to herself and then not mentioned it. Did you probably didn’t even have enough time to really Well, you can actually see it on the show like where I looked at and I was like you cuz you didn’t say the name initially. I was like guys not doing this and then they were like and that’s when they kept saying and they cut that part out but they’re like who’s it from? St Mary say the name. Who’s it from? Who’s it from? Oh that’s nice. Who’s it from? And and I was like go stop. And so then I was like you know what I told you you got scared Mary now get out. I was like, do you know what? And I love that they named the whole episode Scary Mary. Watch out, Scary Mary is coming out and Scary Mary is not actually that scary. It’s like I’m so nice all the time. If I’m like, you’re mean or I’m like, you got Scary Mary there. I’m like, but that time it really was like I was I was so on edge and so emotional and lack of sleep and everything like that. I was like I was just I mean it probably was an overreaction even to production but I was like all you had to do is just talk to me be like hey she sent give me a heads up this is what just give me for a warning that this is this is going to happen and stuff. I I didn’t know they let the person in and someone knocks on my door and and I was like I have gates all the way around and so there’s so many things that happen. I was like what what who’s here? What’s happening? because people were being robbed every single day, right? Um in my neighborhood and so and the people were home and we would send like um like the video footage of of like the attempted robberies and stuff and people were home and then they’d see and you’d see the burglars like run and from the house and stuff. So I was like so on edge. I was like I there were too many things. It wasn’t it wasn’t flowers from Chelsea that I got mad about. And you mentioned that pretty much everyone on the cast other than Chelsea and her flowers, like everyone reached out to you, personally, texted you, checked in with you, and at that point in time, you and Cricelle were good. I thought we were good. So, when when did it turn? I have no idea. I didn’t know it turned until I was told by production and Jason like that um something that she was attempting to do. I didn’t know it turned. I I’ve always loved Cricelle. I’ve always um defended her like when people were like she she like was really weird to me. And I was like, she just has to guard it up like like don’t worry like she’s been through a lot and like once you get to know her and I’ve always had her back on things. So I was I was really blindsided by that. I was really saddened by that. I don’t even know if Well, now she does, but I don’t even know if she knows that cuz I was just like, “Okay, I guess I know where we stand now.” I never even said anything to her. That’s the way I normally handle things. And I don’t know if maybe it’s a pattern because you said that you mentioned that she tried to blindside you and then she also I I want to get your take on that scene with Sandra where she kind of blindsided Sandra with a picture of her old room was it an old room know what that was. So they were having there I guess just to to set the scene they were having a conversation because Sandra felt as though Cricelle maybe didn’t like her and she was like what’s going on? What is this energy about? cuz she it seemed like she wanted to be friends with Cricelle and Cricelle for whatever reason seemed I mean I know things get edited down but she seemed to be very triggered by that situation was like hold on let me get my purse and then she pulls out a picture of this license she’s like do you know this girl apparently then she alleged that she heard that Sandra threatened this woman in the past and Sandra is like so confused she was like I just wanted you to like me I know she was like I mean that’s what she kept saying she’s like I just felt like there was something like like you didn’t or something because she’s like all she gets and I I resaw like that that thing and I died laughing because she’s like because you just give me a look all the time where she honestly laughing she kind of nailed the look. Oh, she did. And then once she said it, I really noticed it. I was like, “Wow, she really does give that look.” I never noticed it before until she said that. But then once they when they panned back to this scene, I started dying officing. I was like, “That was really on point.” Do you feel almost like I’ve never noticed it before though either. Like do you think that she just like pulled that out of nowhere? Do you think she just made that up or do you think there’s any truth to what she was saying? I don’t I don’t think there’s any truth to it. I mean I think it’s so random. And Sandra’s explained like like after she was like wait I I do know who that like then once she left she’s like who is she talking about? She’s like first of all I’ve never keyed a car. That was not me. She’s like never. Wait, that’s I forgot even what the claim was. It was that she keyed this girl’s car and she’s like, I’ve never even keyed my ex-boyfriend’s car. She’s like, I’m not going to do so, some random accountant in the building. She’s like like what? And she like And so she’s so funny about it, but she was like she was so it was the accusations like like this season and I’m like are these like are they just like trying to come up with the most far-fetched things like and just seeing what sticks? I’m like what is happening? Yeah. like watching Cricelle and Cassandra being new to the scene. So, watching Cricelle um having this disconnect with someone immediately and kind of coming at her in this way, do you feel it kind of like is showing Cricelle’s now like is she getting more of an inability to have sincere relationships with you ladies? Like, do you think she’s kind of just thinking of it more as like a chess game? Maybe. I I I’m just I’m so blown away by by everything this season. I I don’t know where the turns have been made. Um, I I think yeah, there it seems like a chess game and like it’s a good way to explain it. I don’t know. I haven’t talked to her. I I apparently know where we stand now. And so I just I just keep my distance. That’s what I do when if someone doesn’t like me or if they’re doing something to try to hurt me, I’m like, I don’t I don’t want any part of this. Yeah. And so and when I see it happening to the other girls on a show, too. And and it’s it’s gotten bad. There’s a lot of us that have there’s a lot of untruths out there that are really really hurting um our lives, our real lives. It’s not just a TV show. These are real lives. So, you can’t just say things just, “Oh, well that makes good TV.” No, we have business. We have real lives. We have families. You can’t just throw things out there and be like, “Oh, well, sorry.” Now that your relationship withelle has devolved the way it has, does it sort of put that conversation with Nicole and the dead parents in a different perspective at all? Um, no. I They cut this out. I I had conversations with Cricelle. I had two of them on this season where I’m like, Nicole is wrong. I was like, but you are too. You can’t make accusations like that that you like she wasn’t there for anything. She doesn’t know. She heard something. Okay, you heard it. Why would you bring that to camera? Why would you like and say something like this is a global TV show like the world and the way society is you say something people believe it. I’m like but it’s it’s like me saying um like you whatever like like um you told me before this that he hates you. Yeah. and you’re like sitting on my or something really really farfetched and it’s like people and no matter what you say even though it’s like I wasn’t even I’ve never been to this place. I’ve never done what it’s now the truth. Someone says it it’s the truth and I’m like that’s it’s so it’s just wrong what what is happening right now. And was it the same thing that Ammanza heard that Cricelle heard that Cricelle was referencing? Whoa, you lost me there. Cuz in the in the reunion when Nicole presses Amanda, she’s like, “Have you ever seen me do cocaine?” And then she’s like, “I’ve never seen you do cocaine. I I simply believed a story I was told and then I I mentioned it.” Do you think that they got the same information, Cricelle and Amanda? Possibly. Okay. But but um it’s But Nicole’s absolutely accurate on that because I do know Nicole really well and she hates Coke. She hates it. Um um and that’s absolutely true. Um, and so that’s part of where it doesn’t matter what the rest of the stories are. It doesn’t matter like everyone has a history. Everyone has like personal things. It’s and and whatever, but it’s like that’s no one’s business. And you don’t use that to just try to like tearing other people down to make yourself look better. Not cool. Um, and so that’s I feel like what everyone’s doing, right? Well, not everyone. A couple people are doing right now. Just it’s like, well, discredit this person and then I’ll look better. That’s not okay. These are people’s lives. And I told Crystal that they just cut it out. Yeah. And also, it’s a game. If you keep on playing it, everybody’s going to end up losing. Yeah. Cuz then it’s like, what’s everyone loses? And and it makes our entire brokerage look pathetic. Like, and we we are the top agency and and have done so well. And in my view, I’m the vice president um and and I work with Jason and he’s like works so hard for this and it makes us all just look petty and and and just ridiculous. Is he a little just he he’s frustrated? Oh, he is beyond frustrated. Yeah. Yeah. I was going to say because it’s this is not the brokerage that that he built. this is not the way that professionals behave and and yes, we are doing a TV show and and we have to answer to things, but this has gotten so out of hand and that just all of the fabricated stories and stuff like that and out on social media, it affects our business, too. It’s not just for fun. This is like it’s damaging and it’s not okay. I mean, the show has brought so much joy to viewers and to fans, and it’s been it really has changed the landscape of reality TV, and I, for one, I’m so glad that it exists, but because of where we are now, is there a part of you that possibly regrets even doing the show or taking this ride? I don’t regret doing the show. Um because there are a lot of I’m just I just have to reassess how I’m going to structure it because if if we can’t turn this back around to a more woman empowerment um like positive thing then I’ll move on to something else. Um but I just I just think it’s sad. But you know there are ways around it. we can we can like let go some of like the people that are the problem starters um and move on and have a positive women empowerment like respectable um brokerage again. Well, let’s see what 2026 brings. I don’t know. It’s not my decision. It’s other people’s decision. So, I was like I but I for one will not I I don’t want to be a part of mudslinging. So, yeah. Well, you can always be a part of this couch and this conversation because we want you to come here all the time. Mary, thank you so much for stopping by. Thank you.

“Selling Sunset” star Mary Bonnet stopped by the Page Six studio to chat with “Virtual Reali-Tea” co-hosts Danny Murphy and Evan Real to unpack all the drama unfolding in Season 9, both onscreen and behind the scenes. She addressed her friendship with Chrishell Stause — and how it ultimately fizzled out. Mary also shared her take on Chrishell’s intense feud with ex-bestie Emma Hernan over the latter’s relationship. Check out the full unedited interview!

“Selling Sunset” is available to stream on Netflix.

Read more at https://pagesix.com/video/selling-sunset-star-mary-bonnet-unpacks-explosive-chrishell-strause-drama-with-vrt/

#virtualrealitea #marybonnet #sellingsunset #chrishellstrause

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