Summary
- The Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets sparks an unexpected romance among celebrity castmates, Kim Zolciak and Chet Hanks.
- Past seasons have seen odd couplings like Flavor Flav and Brigitte Nielson, resulting in spinoff shows and lasting impacts on careers.
- Kim Zolciak found clarity and coping mechanisms for her divorce drama while filming The Surreal Life, a positive experience for her.
There's an unlikely group of celebrities spilling their secrets as they share a mansion in Medellín, Colombia for the eighth season of The Surreal Life. The Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets promises not to disappoint, as the series' trailer has already sparked romance rumors between two castmates.
Real Housewives star Kim Zolciak and Chet Hanks, son of actor Tom Hanks, hinted at a romance that has fans taken by surprise. In the new season's trailer, Chet is heard calling the reality star a "MILF" and the two are seen embracing in a bedroom. Although both stars have remained quiet about a possible fling, it reminds viewers of other strange couplings that came out of the show in previous seasons.
Finding Romance Among The Surreal Life Cast Isn't Surprising
Sharing a house for a number of weeks with total strangers can bring about a lot of drama and chaos, but it has also brought about unexpected romantic relationships. With these celebrities bonding over the ups and downs of their lives and careers, it's no surprise that cast members have developed strong feelings for each other.
One of the oddest couplings to come out of the show was rapper Flavor Flav and model Brigitte Nielson in Season 3 in 2004. Interestingly, it didn't seem like Flavor Flav and Brigitte would get along, as they got into a physical altercation in the very beginning. However, they developed a deep bond and a romance blossomed between them.
Although it took viewers by surprise, their relationship lasted long enough that they got their own spinoff, called Strange Love. The show only lasted for one season and Brigitte and Flavor Flav split in 2005.
In 2014, 10 years after The Surreal Life Season 3 aired, the Danish model looked back at her unexpected romance with the rapper on Oprah Winfrey's Where Are They Now series. Not only did she defend her romance, but she revealed that being on reality TV ruined her career.
"I found him very, very sweet ... he's actually just a very nice guy that's been through a lot, and I sort of could connect with that. But, I think I also had to pay the price because I did shows with Flavor Flav ... I didn't realize how damaging that would be later on."
It's also interesting to note that although Flavor Flav and Brigitte didn't last, it resulted in the rapper getting his own "The Bachelor-style" reality TV show called Flavor of Love. That show would later be an inspiration for Rock of Love with Bret Michaels, which saw the Poison frontman on his quest to find love.
| The Surreal Life: Secrets of the Villa Cast | Occupation |
|---|---|
| Kim Zolciak | Reality television star best known for The Real Housewives of Atlanta and Don't Be Tardy |
| Chet Hanks | Actor/Rapper, son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson |
| Macy Gray | Grammy-Award winning singer |
| Ally Brooke | Singer who was part of pop group Fifth Harmony |
| O.T. Genasis | Rapper known for his 2017 song, Everybody Mad |
| Josie Canseco | Model, daughter of former MLB star Jose Conseco |
| Tyler Posey | Actor known for Teen Wolf |
| Johnny Weir | Olympic figure skater |
In season 4 of The Surreal Life, viewers watched as America's Top Model winner Adrianne Curry and The Brady Bunch actor Christopher Knight fell for one another. The castmates chemistry was off the roof, but their age difference was very much talked about as Adrianne was only 23, while Christopher was 48.
Still, their love proved strong and Adrianne and Christopher tied the knot and got their own spinoff called, My Fair Brady. After five years of marriage, the couple split.
Speaking to People, Adrianne revealed that her marriage was tough, admitting that off-camera, the pair were not in a good place. She was grateful that she and Christopher went their separate ways.
"It was very difficult to have a relationship on TV. And what's most difficult about it is most people would say we were a complete train wreck, and that was us putting our best foot forward because we knew we were being filmed. So I assure you, it was way worse with the cameras off."
Kim Zolciak Said Being On The Show Helped Her Get Away From Her Divorce Drama
Whether or not Kim found a budding romance with Chet on The Surreal Life, she did admit that her time on the series helped her cope with her lengthy divorce process with Kroy Biermann.
Being able to talk about her separation from the former football player with a group of people she barely knew was a positive experience for Kim. In an interview with People, the RHOA alum admitted to finding clarity after the show.
"The Surreal Life was one of the most incredible experiences in my life."
Additionally, sharing her fears, hopes, and dreams also helped the reality star realize that she should focus on herself.
"My goal on the show -- which I've never watched an episode of in real life, and I intentionally didn't watch any when I decided to join the show because I didn't want ot have any inhibitions -- [was that I] needed some time away from the actual house to gain some clarity going through this divorce and focus more back on Kim," she said.
The Surreal Life
- Release Date
- January 9, 2003
- Writers
- Mark Cronin, Chris Abrego, Rick Telles
- Main Genre
- Reality
- Distributor
- Debmar-Mercury, VH1
Your comment has not been saved