.png)
17 hours ago
3 ARTICLE AD
Venita Aspen is shining brighter than ever on Southern Charm, and Season 10 was her most challenging season yet.
Aspen joined the Bravo reality series in Season 7 as a friend and was upgraded to a full-time cast member the following season after becoming a fan favorite.
In the most current season of the series, Aspen opened her heart to co-star Jarrett Thomas, known as JT, which also opened her up to even more drama.
Ahead of the second part of the Southern Charm Season 10 reunion, Deadline talked to Aspen to get insight into where things are now with JT, her thoughts on co-star Leva Bonaparte leaving, and if she sees herself coming back for another season.
Coming into this season, viewers were able to see the fashionista being a little more opinionated and in the forefront of the drama.
“I do really feel like every year I am doing my best to make sure that I’m solidifying my space in this group. I’m kind of talking out a little bit more, share a little bit more of my opinions. I feel like this year was really the year I felt like I am truly just putting all of it out there, being as open as I can be,” she said. “In the past, the girls have kindly reminded me that sometimes I can be guarded, and I feel like I kind of let that go this year, which is a really nice feeling.”
Aspen feels like this season was different for her as she was coming into the season with JT as her best friend, adding, “I really felt like I really have someone that I really shoot the shit with more so often than I do with the rest of the group, like seeing him every day. I was like, ‘I can fully be myself now.’ I felt comfortable. So that kind of pointed me into just being a little more open and sharing more.”
RELATED: ‘Southern Charm’ Season 10 Cast Photos
Viewers could see Aspen and JT flirting throughout the season, but JT was seeing someone at the time.Aspen told us that she had initially connected with JT during their trip to Jamaica the year before, and their friendship has “kind of just blossomed” since then.
“Then, this past year we were like, ‘We need to show our friendship [and] share it with the rest of the world. We decided to do that, and [then] he decided to do other things that weren’t a part of us doing,” she said. “Our friendship and the relationship aspect of it actually started after cameras stopped rolling. So we were working on figuring out what [an actual relationship] looked like [and] that was [between] September to November.”
A prologue during the Season 10 finale noted that JT and Aspen had started dating. However, a month later, JT announced he was starting a “long overdue” relationship with the girl he had been seeing.
Going into the reunion, Aspen was open to working things out with JT, but things took a turn after filming. As the show continued to air on Bravo, Aspen revealed on the Southern Charm After Show that she had helped JT pay for an outfit because he had forgotten his wallet. There was some confusion about whether JT had paid her back. JT would then take to social media and call out Aspen, clarifying that he had paid her back, posting the receipts of the money transfer.
When asked about why her friendship with JT was so important, she said, “It no longer is.”
“I wish I knew then, what I know now, because I would answer that completely different,” she added.
“In that moment [during Reunion Part 2], that was the first time JT and I had spoken and or seen each other since everything kind of hit the fan,” she said. “I was just like, ‘Okay, I will give this guy a shot. I will give him time to explain himself and figure out if this is something that is worth saving.’ I’m not the type to just cut someone off and not let them voice or say whatever it is that they feel. I will take both sides into consideration before I make a decision. So that’s basically what I was trying to give in that moment. He lost that when he decided to continue to speak ill of me on social media weeks after the reunion was filmed.”
She continued, “It was very disappointing, considering even at the filming of my Watch What Happens Live [episode] and at reunion, I say ‘I can be mad at you all day, but I’m not gonna let everyone else beat you up.’ I say something along those lines to really just kind of let him know, ‘Yes, I’m mad at you, but understand that the friendship is still that much more important [and] we can get over it.’ So for him to do [post receipts against me on social media], it was very disappointing and very telling. I think right after he did that, I texted Taylor [Ann Green] for the second time, and I was like, ‘I should have listened to you sooner,’ and I apologized her [and said,] ‘I’m so sorry I didn’t listen to you sooner.’ She’s been pretty supportive to me with the whole situation, because she and JT had their own falling out last year.”
“I think that sets me apart from this group, to be honest, because, I’ll give somebody a couple chances to try to figure their shit out, and then once I realize they’re not ever going to change, then I’ll make a decision on my own. I didn’t let anyone speak for me or try to persuade my decisions this year when it came to JT, when everyone was against him. A lot of the group really wanted me to kind of dig in his ass and I would like to do that, but I also want to stay true to myself, and still let him know that there is an opportunity to face this, if that’s something that you are willing to work on with me.”
Venita Aspen on Leva Bonaparte leaving Southern Charm
Leva Bonaparte recently announced she was stepping away from Southern Charm after four seasons to focus on her business ventures and spinoff Southern Hospitality. News of Bonaparte’s departure has Aspen with conflicting emotions.
“I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to talk about it. I am very excited for Leva, but I would be remiss to say that I’m also very sad for myself to not have her back,” she said. “I just feel like with the girls, we just have gotten it down to a science. I feel like we are… We’re a tight-knit. We’re putting in the work. We even got Leva to come out a lot this year and she typically didn’t do that, just because she loves to spend a lot of time with [with her son] Little, but she was making the effort to be [to go out]. I’m a little sad that [the audience] won’t get to see that moving forward, but I am very, very happy for her.”
Venita Aspen’s future on Southern Charm
Bravo has not confirmed when the next season of Southern Charm will start shooting, but Aspen is ready to return if she is asked.
“I do want to come back for another season. I feel like [if I return], there will be no more holding of the tongue,” she said. “I’ll keep it classy, as I always do, but I will definitely be sure to share my opinions more often than not moving forward.”
She continued, “[It’s] really nice to see and to receive on socials, when I do [share] these opinions, I’m not crazy. I’m not the only one thinking. I always used to think that, oh, maybe I’m the only one thinking this, which is why I kind of kept my opinions to myself, but to really see that there were so many more people that agreed with what I was saying than that went against it, it was kind of nice, and it will give me the courage to continue to do that moving forward.”
JT said he quit Southern Charm during Season 10’s post-production but still showed up to the reunion. However, if both JT and Aspen return for a potential Season 11, would Aspen want to film with him?
“At this time? No [small pause] Come back to me in a couple months, see how I feel. But right now, I think I kind of got to let that one go for the time being,” she said.
In the meantime, Aspen revealed that she is working on a coffee table book, adding, “I’m actually working on a project that might not come as a surprise to the people who are true fans of mine, but I’m working on trying to create a tablescape website. Basically, you can come to one stop shop for all your tablescape needs and hosting needs. It’s a brand new idea, but I’m very excited about it, because I can blend fashion and art in the tablescape.”
Southern Charm Season 10 Reunion: Part 2 premieres on Thursday, April 3 at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.
