Though Mauricio Umansky and Kyle Richards may be living separate lives after nearly 30 years together, the former couple remains supportive of each other. As longtime stars of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, fans have watched their relationship go through many ups and downs, and Season 13 of the show was no exception. With their marriage facing challenges, viewers saw Mauricio and Kyle struggle to communicate, culminating in Mauricio moving out in Season 14. But despite their separation, Mauricio doesn’t believe that reality TV—or its notorious “curse”—played a role in their breakup.
Mauricio Umansky recently sat down on Bravo’s Hot Mic podcast to discuss his marriage and the impact of fame and reality television on relationships. He made it clear that, in his opinion, the show didn’t change Kyle Richards.
“I’ve witnessed multiple marriages come and go, we’ve had divorces, we’ve had all kinds of different things … and I can tell you that my perspective is that’s not what happened between Kyle and I,” Mauricio shared. While the “reality curse” has been blamed for the demise of many relationships on screen, he’s adamant that this wasn’t the case for him and Kyle.
Mauricio described Kyle as “extremely grounded and down to earth,” emphasizing that she hasn’t let fame or fortune alter who she is. “I don’t think the show has gotten to her, the fame, the money, at all,” he said. “She is the exact same person that she was before the show, before we both made money. I don’t think it has changed her at all.”
In fact, Mauricio believes that RHOBH has had a different effect on other couples, especially when it comes to how they see their relationships. “Couples, when they watch themselves, end up reflecting, and they actually see what their real relationship is like,” he explained. “They believe and they go to bed with a perception of their own relationship that is different, that once they watch it and they’re confronted and then they reflect, and they see it from a different point of view, they’re like, ‘Holy sh*t. That’s what my relationship is?’”
This reflection, he continued, can cause couples to reconsider their dynamics. “Once you become conscious of that, it now becomes part of the reality and you start witnessing that,” he said, suggesting that what was once unnoticed becomes impossible to ignore once it’s on screen.
Despite their separation, Mauricio Umansky remains grateful for the relationship he and Kyle share, noting that they’ve both had time to reflect on what they need. He stressed that neither he nor Kyle has made any final decisions regarding their future together. “We’re so lucky to have the relationship we have. We’ve yet to file for divorce. We were married for 28 years, 29 years, together for 30 years,” he said. “Through circumstances, I think we just needed time, a separation, and neither she or I have talked about anything at this point, in terms of reconciliation.”
For now, the two are simply giving each other the space to see what the future holds. “I think we’re both just allowing time to pass. Everything will just happen naturally however it’s meant to be,” Mauricio concluded.
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