The Real Housewives of Orange County’s Katie Ginella believes the reunion drama will only increase when Alexis Bellino joins for part two.
“Alexis came in a little hot, but she’s only given a certain amount of time on the stage,” Ginella, 40, exclusively teased to Us Weekly at the 1st Annual Gurus Awards on Sunday, November 10. “She was a friend this season, so you’re like, ‘OK, you have an hour. Get out there.’ You will see some receipts that she brings that I think some people might change their mind about the way they view some things.”
Throughout the season, Bellino, 47, has butted heads with Shannon Beador as she continues to date her ex John Janssen. Things became so tense between the pair that Bellino was not invited to the London cast trip hosted by Beador, 60.
For Ginella, she’s determined not to pick sides for as long as she can.
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“I like Alexis because after my aunt died — and three days later, my father-in-law died — Alexis was there for me,” Ginella told Us at the SLS Beverly Hills while wearing a Sau Lee dress. “What she’s given to me is what I’m going to give to her, and it’s been kindness and love. Does she come in hot? Absolutely, but you’ll see.”
Ginella’s first reunion experience has already proven to be a bumpy ride. On November 7, viewers watched Emily Simpson and Heather Dubrow confront their newest cast member about a decade-old road rage incident and accused Ginella of having a man wrongfully arrested. (She denied the claims during part one of the reunion.)
While she was hesitant to relive the episode, Ginella admitted that she ultimately watched it with her daughter Kaili.
“We sat on the couch and cried because it was using my past as a weapon against me,” Ginella shared. “I feel like it’s something that I got through, and I’m stronger and better for it. My daughter and I are standing here happy, healthy, loving, kind, because we had to go through that. So the fact that it was kind of used against me, that was the most hurtful.”
While Ginella hasn’t seen eye-to-eye with all the ladies, she remains grateful to have earned the title of first Korean housewife on The Real Housewives of Orange County. She also remains hopeful that any broken friendships from the show can be repaired.
“I do hope that Heather and I can move on,” she said. “I don’t know about Emily. She seems to really, really hate me and I’m sad about that because I thought we were good. I really did. … But I can move on.”
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Before the reunion comes to an end later this month, Ginella is paying it forward by raising money for a cause close to her heart.
“My daughter and I have partnered with Laura’s House, which is a battered women and children’s shelter in Orange County,” she explained to Us. “They help rehabilitate women and families, and that’s something that helped us in Atlanta. So we’re trying to raise money for them.”
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs on Bravo Thursdays at 9 p.m ET. Stream old episodes anytime on Peacock.
