'Real Housewives of Dallas' star Stephanie Hollman on breaking reality TV stereotypes
'Real Housewives of Dallas' star Stephanie Hollman opens up about the effects of social media and what fans don't know about the hit Bravo show.
NEW YORK – "The Real Housewives of Dallas" star Stephanie Hollman can't believe she's survived this long on a reality TV show.
The Bravo-lebrity, 37, wasn't quite sure what she was signing up for when the franchise premiered in 2016 but has grown into the world of unscripted entertainment.
"I just don't have the thickest of skin," she admitted to Fox News, adding that she didn't think she'd last beyond the first season. "But you kind of get the hang of it and you make it your own."
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"I realized that I don't have to fit the mold. I can just be myself," she added. "I think as long as you take it with a grain of salt and realize that it's okay to have an opinion and it's okay to not always get along with each other, but you have to respect each other."
Even as the drama and fights spiral out of control, Hollman says she attempts to remain fair to everyone involved. "I honestly try to focus on myself like I never put [rumors] out there that I do not know one hundred percent are true," she said.
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF DALLAS -- Pictured: (l-r) Kameron Westcott, Kary Brittingham, Stephanie Hollman (Peter Larsen/Bravo)
"If they're very hurtful and they are true, I still don't think I would, because these women have lives and I have to live with myself... outside of filming and outside at this time of my life," she continued. "It's a reality show. It's about me and my life and about my interactions with the women, but not me trying to ruin these women's lives so I can shine a little bit. I just don't agree with that."
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Hollman also spoke about how she navigates social media. She described how she allots specific time in the morning and at night to spend time on apps and then puts her phone down.
"For 30 minutes, I'm going to get on social media and respond and really interact with the fans," the mother-of-two explained. "And then I'm going to live my life and be a mother. Then at the end of the night, I kind of do the same. Then I spend 30 minutes, because if not, it can take over your life and literally you could be a full-time job."
WATCH WHAT HAPPENS LIVE WITH ANDY COHEN -- Pictured: Stephanie Hollman (Heidi Gutman/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank)
Since stepping into the reality arena, one of Hollman's goals is to peel back the facade of the "Wives" franchise and break down some of those "fame-hungry" and "mean girls" stereotypes.
She understands that women on these types of series have reputations of being "dramatic" and "nasty" to each other to create storylines but ultimately believes that you can be "real" and have still have an "impact."
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"I think a lot of the women that I've met throughout the franchise, they're just normal women," Hollman said. "They're trying to be amazing mothers and wives. And I think if people really met them, they would see that what you see on TV is just a very, very, very small part of who they are."
"The Real Housewives of Dallas" airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo.
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