Marlo Hampton on securing the peach for The Real Housewives of Atlanta season 14: 'You finally got what you want'
Ever since joining Bravo's The Real Housewives of Atlanta in season 4 as a friend of erstwhile peach-holder Nene Leakes, Marlo Hampton has been a fan favorite. That it's taken over 10 years for her to be rewarded with a peach of her own has been a source of ire for RHOA's die-hard viewers, as Hampton's tenure has far outlasted many an Atlanta Housewife, not to mention all the memorable moments, and the memorable shade, she's gifted the franchise.
Hampton's masterful, wordless performance as — mid-brawl — she adjusted Leakes' increasingly disheveled bun should have won an Emmy, a Peabody, and a MacArthur Genius Grant.
And lest we forget one of the greatest, pettiest reads in Housewives history, delivered, in all (shady) seriousness, from Hampton to Porsha Williams regarding the purchase of her new palatial home: "I felt your doormat should've been larger."
Like, you want to talk about range? How many Housewives, past or present, have been half as entertaining with twice as much screen time?
Well, the wait is over! Season 14 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta is kicking off with Marlo Hampton as a full-time cast member. EW caught up with the diva to discuss her long road to peachdom, becoming a muntie (mom and auntie) to her teenage nephews, and who's reading who among the ladies of Atlanta.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: MARLO!
MARLO HAMPTON: That's Marlo "Peach" Hampton, darling. [Laughs]
So, finally, you have your peach. What took so long?
I don't know, but it happened. It happened and let's just be thankful we got it, okay? [Laughs]
Okay! So what can we expect from you as a Housewife now that you're full-time? What are you bringing this season, what are the fans going to be excited for?
They're going to be excited to finally get to see everything. You get me being a full-time muntie, you see me as a sister, as a daughter, as a friend. You just get all of Marlo. I mean, is that not something amazing?
But is it enough? That's still the question.
I don't know if it's enough.
Stephanie Eley/Bravo The 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' season 14: Shereé Whitfield, Drew Sidora, Kenya Moore, Marlo Hampton, Kandi Burruss, and Sanya Richards Ross
So where are you with the ladies? Are you contending with anyone? Is there any tension with anyone?
Um… no one is — of course, there's tension! Can you just guess who there's tension with?
I mean, I can, but I wanna hear it from your mouth.
[Laughs] But we're in a good place. This season is going to be epic. It's amazing, it's true friendships, it's a sisterhood, it's like the old, classic Real Housewives of Atlanta. And I promise you, you're not going to be disappointed.
I love the trailer alone. The first like 30 seconds, you have Kandi going "Who said I was sucking d--- in the gym?" And some white woman is dragging her child out of the room, and you're like, "Kenya, don't be inviting your white friends — they don't get it."
I know! [Laughs] It was just too much! 'Cause I'm like, "Kenya, you trying to invite your white friends over, you're trying to be bougie, and you need to let them know." Look, that lady's bringing her daughter thinking she's coming to a kids party, and these girls at the table are talking about d--- and this and that. I'm like, "Oh, you gotta let them know you got some ghetto friends, now."
Now, both you and Shereé [Whitfield] are back this season and one of my favorite, favorite moments ever is that fight you two had when you're both going like:
Do we get any more of that kind of epic shading between you two?
No, you don't get that between us. The two of us are so connected. We're at a good place. We haven't had any shade — knock on wood — not so far. A little bickering, but nothing major.
Okay, twist! So let's talk about you as a muntie — what's it been like taking on that role for you?
Oh my god, what has it been like?! What hasn't it been like? It's been amazing. It's totally different. It's opened me up to see that there's just so much of Marlo I didn't even know existed. It's like I'm doing everything a mom does but I'm an auntie: "Say your prayers. Brush your teeth. Did you take your vitamins? Have you turned in your work? Did you study? Did you drink your water?" I think it was much needed. Because now when I make decisions, I always put Michael and William first. So it's a great thing and I'm just happy to be where I'm at right now.
How old are they?
Michael is 14 and William is 13. Michael turns 15 in July. William just turned 13 in December.
And do you mind giving a little context or background of how they ended up in your custody?
They're in my custody because my sister is going through some … issues right now. At the time, you saw the trailer, she's incarcerated when we're talking then. But she's just going through some mental health issues right now. So she just has to work on herself. So we're just letting her work on herself, so she can get back strong and hopefully come back and get involved in the boys' lives.
And how are the boys adjusting to having you as a muntie?
They're doing good. I mean, I'm not gonna lie, it has not been smooth sailing. But it's good. I think it's definitely — it's for the best. And we're happy. We're happy. All three of us are learning each other and, like I said, they're just now transitioning into teenagers. So it's like, "Oh my god, it's a little rough over here, now calm down." But I don't have any complaints. They're amazing boys, they're smart, they may be a little spoiled — and I may be adding to that — but it is what it is.
I also saw that you were featured on Vogue.com, your boutique, Le Archive.
I was so excited! When I tell you this is my time, baby! Oh, my god! I was so excited when they contacted me and featured me on Vogue.com. It really just made me feel like, "Okay, you're moving on up, sis. You're here."
Stephanie Eley/Bravo Marlo Hampton from 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta' season 14.
Now, could you reveal to us your tagline for this season?
I cannot. [Laughs] That was really smooth. "Can you reveal—"
I tried it! I tried it!
You tried it. I'm good with that one. But you're gonna love it, though. I promise you that.
I'm sure, I'm sure. Since this is your first season as a Housewife, what do you love most about being one full-time?
It's so interesting you say that because I've filmed so much and I've been around so long so what I tell people, it's like, "I'm excited but I been here. This is my turf, this is my house." But, the only thing different is the cameras are there a lot more. A lot more. And, like I said, you get to see so much more of Marlo. And I'm just excited for the fans, for the supporters, who have been on the sidelines: "Why doesn't she have a peach? Give her a peach." It's like, you finally got what you want.
Finally! We've been very vocal over the years.
Very vocal, everyone has been. And I appreciate the love, I do.
And what do you hope to say with this presumably larger platform you'll have? To anyone who might be going through what you and your family are going through?
Just step up and do what you gotta do. We're all heroes and you have to just get out there and do what you're destined to do. When you're put in a situation, you know if it's right or wrong. It may not always be what you want. When I got my nephews I thought, well, "Oh, I'm just calling them. My sister's going through something. I'll have them for a week." A week went by … 30 days went by … a year came, I'm like, "Wait, you're not going back home?!" [Laughs] You never know what the man above has in store for you. But just get in there and make it happen. And that's what I'm doing every day. I'm praying. I'm scared some days, I'm not scared [other days], but I'm doing the best I can and making it happen. Because I want them to know I don't ever want them to have to go to a foster home. I want them to know that someone truly loves them. And I'm going to do my best to provide and be there for these two young men.
The new season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta premieres Sunday, May 1, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.
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