Season 7 of The Circle is probably the series' best so far; thanks to Madelyn Rusinyak, the fan-proclaimed "villain" of the show. The 25-year-old education staffer wasn't afraid to stir the pot in the game. But after speaking with TheThings on the day the finale dropped, the Netflix star spilled the truth behind her "manipulative" gameplay, which had her visiting the psych in the middle of the competition.

It started when Madelyn and Rachel (played by Deb Schwartzberg) swapped profiles. Things took a turn when she put on a character and told an unplanned lie about Darian Holt, who also spoke with TheThings. Sorry to disappoint the haters, but the third-place finisher didn't expect to get that close to the $100,000 cash prize.

In this exclusive interview, you'll get to know the real Madelyn who articulated "mixed feelings" about her portrayal as an OnlyFans model on the show. She also addressed not needing soap, meeting the real-life Andy Glass (played by Heather Richardson), and indulged fans with her thoughts on joining Perfect Match and matching with reality TV's most-hated f-boy, Harry Jowsey.

Madelyn Has "Mixed Feelings" About Being The Circle's First OnlyFans Contestant

Madelyn Didn't Like The Circle's Focus On Her Job

When Madelyn joined The Circle, she was informed that she was the show's first OnlyFans contestant. When asked how she felt about being introduced as that "spicy" contestant, she told TheThings she has "mixed feelings" about it. "I think it's wonderful. That is a job that should be talked about just as every other job. There should really be no stigma behind it," she explained, "...but in the same breath, that's only a job. That's not who I am."

"It was just brought up a lot," Madelyn continued, "I love that it's becoming normalized, but I don't think harping on it and making it my entire personality is making it normalized."

The reality star suggested "a happy medium where it's just... an incredible job... but you don't have to bring it up in every conversation." On the positive side, Madelyn likes that her OnlyFans background "opened the door" for real conversations, like Rachel hilariously saying she couldn't live without sex. Not sure if Deb would have answered that herself, but that candid moment was good TV.

Speaking of the cast getting real, I told Madelyn that fans wanted her to address not needing soap. "I will, I don't care," she laughed. "I have a lot of hair, and it's all real. And washing my hair takes so long... It's very thick. I have to double-shampoo it... It takes hours and hours to dry it." And before you criticize her more, her hair isn't greasy at all. If it is, she uses dry shampoo. And like I told her, that is why I have short hair.

Madelyn Didn't Always Love Her "Character" In The Circle

Madelyn Had To Visit The Psych During Her Intense Gameplay In The Circle

While Madelyn was so real for saying she could live without soap, her gameplay wasn't her at all. It was obvious from the moment we started the interview. Before we even got to the topic, she admitted that "she didn't always love that character" she played on the show because she was a "b**ch."

But she does acknowledge the contributions of the "villain" Madelyn. "She's an interesting character," she said. "She brought the drama." And this season wouldn't be as fun without her. Speaking about that lie that had Darian blocked, she said: "I did not wake up that day and was like, 'Ok, I'm gonna cause some chaos.'"

"It would be such a boring answer to say, 'No,'" she said of deciding whether she should tell the chat that Heather spilled some tea during her post-blocking visit. "And I could start some drama [to] get some people's eyes elsewhere and not at me. But it didn't go as planned. I was just gonna say the one line and they were gonna take it from there. That didn't happen."

So no, Madelyn didn't intentionally target Darian (they're friends now and were going to hang out that weekend when we spoke). I told her I understood the controversial move, and that as a fan of the show, I know it would be hard to stay in the game if she was always vulnerable. She agreed, saying it was what made her break down when Heather visited, which caused her to visit the psych.

As the Secret Super Influencer, Madelyn initially planned on blocking Season 7's winner, Gianna (played by twins, Jojo and Nicky Scarlotta). The long deliberation caused her to block Jadejha instead.

"When Heather came to see me, I was like, 'I don't want anyone else to come see me, or I'm not gonna be able to do anything,'" she recalled. She then said it was "rough" to confess the lie in the finale in front of everyone. But she knew it wouldn't be easy. "I had to face these real people, everything I'd done," after having to see them as "players" following her profile swap with Rachel where she realized the game itself called for a little deception.

Madelyn Sensed There Was "Unfinished Business" Between Heather And Real-Life Andy

Heather Told Madelyn She'd Give Her Andy's Number On The Circle

Madelyn had a short-lived showmance with catfish Andy during the game. So when Heather visited her, the music industry professional promised to give her the real Andy's number. But the matchmaking didn't happen in real life. Speaking with TheThings, Madelyn said she sensed "unfinished business" between Heather and her longtime best friend, Andy.

Heather was also asked about Madelyn and Andy during an interview with EW. "Listen, they both have free will. They are their own people," said the former. "If one of them wants to reach out to the other, that is all on them. I was the wingman in the game, and I am resigning from that role. I don't think they have yet, but that's their business. I'm supportive of whatever they choose to do."

Madelyn Is Open To Joining Perfect Match But "Couldn't Have The Capacity" To Deal With Harry Jowsey

Madelyn Would Love To Join Other Reality Shows After The Circle Season 7

Speaking of matches, I couldn't help but ask Madelyn about her thoughts on joining Perfect Match. Over on Reddit, a fan wrote, "I bet she's gonna be on the next season of Perfect Match." The reality star said she's "open" to it.

She then cautioned critics that they wouldn't see the "villain" Madelyn there even if she were to interact with Perfect Match season 2's Harry, who's been slammed for treating his girlfriends poorly. Redditors have been wondering if she'd give Harry a taste of his own medicine, you know, for TV.

"[If] I'm going on a dating show and finding somebody that I wanna be with, I would never act like that," said Madelyn. "The lying and all that, I don't do that in my relationships, romantically or platonically. I don't think I could have the capacity for that."

But she knows she'd be perfect for more competitive shows like Squid Game: The Challenge or The Mole. Madelyn previously starred in Temptation Island season 4 in 2022. It was her mom, Lisa, who encouraged her to audition, thinking she'd be "great" in it. Lisa is her daughter's biggest fan. On social media, she goes by the handle @juicyysmom—a nod to Madelyn's "Juicy" nickname.

In a video call on The Circle, Lisa advised her daughter: "Do what you have to do to win, apologize later." Madelyn noted that she didn't strategize that with her mom ahead of the show. So that also surprised her a bit. When asked what's next for her, the reality star said she'd love to do more reality shows, get into modeling, or maybe even start a podcast. For now, you can see more of her chill and funny personality on TikTok, where her Great Dane, Allison, is the main character.