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When Garcelle Beauvais signed on as a cast member of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” she worried about how race would play a role in how she was perceived and received by audiences. When joining a franchise such as the Housewives brand, you’re expected to bring the drama. At the same time, when you’re the only black woman on the show, you’re critiqued through a much harsher lens.
“Did I feel the pressure of being the first black woman on [‘RHOBH’]? Yes, I definitely felt pressure that people wanted me to come in and do a certain thing or have a chip on my shoulder,” the 53-year-old actress confessed in an interview with “Reality Life with Kate Casey.”
The mother of three went on to share that on top of concerns that producers would want her to act a certain way, adding that she did not want to come off as an “angry black woman.”
“I really didn’t want to be labeled an angry black woman, because that’s not who I am,” she continued. “I just wanted to stay true to who I am, and I think that’s what people have been able to see so far.”
Further, Beauvais added that the show’s fan base on social media was also something for which she had to brace herself.
“I was not prepared for how social media takes over,” she said. “Lisa Rinna told me that it is one thing to shoot the show. It’s another to see it and what the others have said about you. Then the whole world weighs in. There are many layers to be on the show.”
While the season is over, she joked that she still worries about being mic’d.
“I worry there are still mics on in my car. I don’t trust they are gone,” she said.
