When Vanderpump Rules announced a cast shakeup, some Bravo fans panicked, but not Us. Southern Hospitality was already serving up the same level of chaotic restaurant drama at Leva Bontaparte’s Republic in Charleston, South Carolina. Standout Maddi Reese deserves a lot of the credit for the show’s momentum, which has earned her a spot in Us Weekly’s Reality Stars of the Year issue.
“It was nice to see all the traction that we got this past season. It was like, ‘Finally!’ But at the same time, I think that we had to prove ourselves as a new show coming in,” Reese, 28, says. “It took a while for everyone [on the show] to be like, ‘OK, the more we put out there, the more that people can connect with us, and the better it is for the show.’ But I definitely came in guns blazing. I’m a little crazy!”
As with VPR, there have been plenty of cheating allegations throughout the Republic universe in the show’s first three seasons, with Reese confronting (now ex) boyfriend Trevor Stokes for being unfaithful in several memorable scenes.
“I tend to get very fired up and reactive,” she tells Us, adding that she’s learned a lot about confrontation and patience through watching the show back.
During the most recent reunion, which aired in March, Reese learned that while Stokes had cheated in the past, several of her costars perpetuated a fake rumor about one indiscretion. It’s a fascinating concept — trying to trust your friends/colleagues while knowing that everyone is also focused on making a good TV show — that makes shows like Southern Hospitality work.
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“A part of it is, that’s the name of the game. If you sign up to do reality TV, you are risking putting and exposing your life out there,” Reese says. “I have no skeletons in my closet. I’ve always been an open book about how I felt or what I’ve gone through. … But we’re unlike other shows; when the cameras go down, we still have to see each other. We work together. You might think you’re cool with someone because you work with them, and then the cameras come up and they have something they’ve been holding or that they’ve been digging up. But I think that’s what makes our show super interesting — the fact that we all almost have to resolve our issues together. But there is a small part of it where you might not know how people truly feel until cameras go up.”
While she’s delivered some chaotic crash outs, Reese is also often the person who recognizes when the group is piling on (see: her sympathy for Emmy Sharrett amid repetitive accusations about now-fiancé Will Kulp, or Reese’s ability to give the sometimes misguided Grace Lilly second chances.)
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes, so I can’t judge anyone else, especially if I’ve done the same thing. That’s where my empathy comes from,” she tells Us.
Adding an extra layer of depth: Reese has been sober for more than 10 years.
“I’ve had fans who went to the same treatment center [I did] come to my [DJ] shows and say, ‘We’re still here and we’re sober and we’re having a good time,’” Reese, an example of “enthusiastic sobriety,” says. “That’s the stuff that blows my mind.”
The reality TV personality adds that the show helps hold her accountable. “I don’t have an interest in going back to how I was living,” she says.
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Bringing back the VPR of it all, Reese confirms to Us that the cast of Southern Hospitality sees the comparisons — and where the staff of Lisa Vanderpump’s SUR ended up: on the outs with people they once considered their “best friends” or even their spouses. When asked whether she ever feels like she’s looking into her future when she thinks about the divided VPR cast in 2025, she admits, “Yes, for sure.”
“It sucks to think that could be us one day with all the drama and s*** that happens,” she tells Us before admitting the love life aspect — Bravo has documented an exorbitant amount of breakups and divorces — is what’s especially “scary.”
“You don’t see a lot of successful relationships make it through reality TV,” Reese, who has been dating costar Joe Bradley since in between seasons 2 and 3, says. “I want, one day, to have a husband and a family. I want kids. I just feel like there’s such a curse about it on TV. I’ve even struggled with it personally. I have a little bit of trust issues.”
Despite her concerns, she says she and Bradley haven’t spoken about it much.
“We probably should,” she admits. “Joe and I don’t really talk about the show that much. We try to keep it authentic and real to our lives, even when we’re going through hard times. No relationship is perfect, and we want to be honest about and open about that. Sometimes we get into fights, but it’s all about how you communicate and work through it. But yeah, I feel like we could be communicating more.”
No matter what her future holds, we’re just hoping there’s cameras to document it all — and based on her tease for season 4 (premiere date TBD), the cast of Southern Hospitality is just getting started.
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“It is so juicy this season. There’s such a divide in the group, and [we’re] working through that. [The story] is revolving — it wasn’t all about one thing,” she says. “The group really puts it out there and is authentic about what’s not only going on with their lives, but working through things that have damaged their relationships from the past. And I think a lot of things needed to be talked about in order for everything to be OK. It’s hard being in the same room as someone when you have a little bit of resentment that you’re still holding on to and you haven’t talked it through yet.”
She concludes, “I’m really excited about this season. It’s a lot of drama. It’s definitely not boring; there’s so much that happens, I don’t even know what’s gonna be shown.”
For more with the Reality Stars of the Year, pick up the new issue of Us Weekly, on stands now.
