DWTS’ Phaedra Parks Shares Her Philosophy on Life After 50: ‘Eat the Cornflakes and Be Unapologetic’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Dancing may be an intimidating venture, but reality royalty Phaedra Parks is embracing the challenge as a woman in her 50s one dazzling performance at a time. In an exclusive interview with Woman’s World following her stunning foxtrot on the September 24 episode of Dancing With the Stars, Parks shared her candid thoughts on embracing this new phase of life—whether she’s kicking back in her downtime (however limited) or training alongside partner Val Chmerkovskiy, Parks is up for the challenge. 

“I am an old bird … no … I’m a seasoned chicken, honey,” Parks, 50, told Woman’s World, intertwined with her flare of sass and class, before adding, “What women need to know is that aging is inevitable. I tell people all the time — you either have a birthday or a funeral – I think most people like a birthday.” 

The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum stunned in her emerald green gown while reflecting on her Dancing With the Stars journey so far, scoring straight 7s from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli. Landing in the middle of the pack, Parks is keeping her eye on the mirrorball prize. “You just have to embrace it,” Parks advised women in midlife, sharing how embracing new challenges has empowered her journey on Dancing With the Stars. “Do what you want to do and what makes you feel good and be unapologetic for being a woman and standing in your truth.”  

Parks’ resume is not what fans may expect—she’s a reality TV queen, a lawyer, an author, a mortician—yes—an activist, businesswoman and a mom of two. So when Woman’s World asked the Georgia native what she’d tell women in their 50s looking to expand the love and respect they have for themselves, the multihyphenate didn’t hold back. 

“If you like to eat cornflakes, eat corn flakes if it makes you feel better,” Parks exclaimed, before digging further into what it means for a woman to navigate new paths and redefine her life after 50. “As women, we lose ourselves in making everybody happy besides ourselves, and so I tell moms in particular—you have to take a moment for yourself, because if you’re not your best self for you, you can't be yourself for others.”  

Of course, Parks is here to win the mirrorball, giving viewers a taste of her fiery personality during the Oscars Night competition. Dancing to “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from the Academy Award-winning film Dreamgirls, Parks lit up the ballroom alongside Chmerkovskiy, proving that she’s ready to embrace the competition. Oscars Night—as fans of the show know—saw not only the season’s first elimination, but two couples were sent packing. When asked about the threat of going home by host Julianne Hough after her performance, Parks was unfazed. 

“Somebody’s gotta win, so somebody’s gotta go,” the attorney said in her signature silky voice, receiving a light chuckle from partner Chmerkovskiy. When Woman’s World caught up with the pair after the show, the Ukrainian-American pro spoke to Parks’ progress while also revealing his desires for her season. 

“She’s still getting her footing, but I'm excited to see her enjoy herself,” Chmerkovskiy said. “My job isn’t to win anything, it’s to create an incredible opportunity for this young woman, a woman taking on yet another thing.” 

Turning his attention to Parks’ children—Ayden and Dylan—the three-time mirrorball champ said, “Her time is precious, so for that I want to work really hard to make sure that this time away from her kids is justified.” Chmerkovskiy is also a dad with wife and professional dancer Jenna Johnson—the duo share son Rome, born in January 2023.  

Parks and Chmerkovskiy will be back for the third week of competition, and we can’t wait to root for their success!

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