Kyle Richards is opening up about the unexpected pressure she felt from fans after her separation from Mauricio Umansky became public.
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star reflected on how deeply viewers reacted to the end of her marriage and how difficult it was to carry not only her own emotions, but also the disappointment of strangers who felt connected to her relationship.
“When my husband and I first got separated, people were totally devastated,” Kyle said. “It was like it happened to them.”
Kyle admitted that she was already dealing with feelings of guilt over how the separation impacted her family.
“I was already feeling like I let down my family,” she shared.
But on top of that, Kyle said fans were reaching out to her directly, begging her not to end the marriage.
“Strangers were reaching out and messaging me, ‘Please don’t get divorced, please,’” Kyle said. “That really did get to me after a while.”
Kyle and Mauricio’s separation has been one of the biggest storylines surrounding RHOBH in recent years. The couple, who married in 1996, spent decades together and were often viewed by fans as one of Bravo’s strongest marriages.
Because viewers watched so much of their family life on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, many fans felt personally invested in their relationship.
Kyle was asked how she makes decisions when she is privately dealing with her marriage while also feeling responsible to millions of viewers who are watching her life play out on television.
Kyle said she still feels that pressure.
“I still feel the pressure of it in my own marriage,” Kyle admitted.
She said fans constantly question why she and Mauricio have not made a final decision about their future.
“‘Why haven’t you made a decision? Why haven’t you gotten divorced?’” Kyle said, repeating the questions she hears from viewers.
Kyle explained that being on TV makes her feel like people expect answers from her.
“I feel like people are expecting an answer from me, and I owe it to them because they’re watching me on television every week,” she said.
The RHOBH OG also revealed that some comments from viewers were especially painful.
“There were people who said, ‘We believe in true love but you let us down,’” Kyle shared.
Kyle said she understood logically that she should not let public opinion influence such a personal decision, but admitted it still affected her emotionally.
“I knew, logically, that I shouldn’t let that affect me,” Kyle said. “But it did.”