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After 12 full seasons on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, it's no surprise that Kyle Richards is synonymous with the show. After all, she's the last OG standing!
TheThings sat down with Kyle to hear her thoughts on her long run on the show - plus, she shares what she'd tell her pre-RHOBH self, given the chance.
Kyle Shares What She's Learned After More Than A Decade On "RHOBH"
Kyle Richards has previously told TheThings that even after all the time she's spent on RHOBH, she's constantly shocked by everything that transpires in each episode - and it's got her in trouble in the past.
"Even after 12 years, I still make mistakes."
However, missteps and surprises aside, there's one thing she swears by, no matter what happens. That is, staying authentic.
Asked what her biggest takeaway from the experience has been, she shares, "always be yourself, and be true to yourself. Then, if you do screw up, you can still live with yourself, because you were being genuine."
Kyle Reveals What She Wishes She Knew Before Becoming A "Real Housewife"
Kyle may epitomize what it is to be a "Real Housewife" at this point, but once upon a time, she was a newbie on a new show.
As such, she's had to learn how to adapt over the years, and along the way, there have been some challenges.
"I wish I knew how difficult it would be," she muses, thinking back on the past decade.
"I really had no idea it would be this difficult."
However, that's not to say she has any regrets about going in without that knowledge.
"I wouldn't change anything," she beams.
As for what she'd tell her pre-RHOBH self, she reiterates the importance of staying authentic.
"Always be true to yourself. And don't ever, ever feel like you have to 'bring it on,' or do something you wouldn't usually do without the cameras."
Kyle also reveals that early on, there were times she wasn't true to herself, and ended up feeling frustrated because of it.
"When I first started the show, they would interview me in the confessionals and I didn't know that I didn't have to answer certain things. They would ask, 'how much did you spend on this party?' and I would find it a shocking question, because I was not raised to talk about money. But, I would never push back."
Now that she's an OG and knows the ropes, though, don't expect Kyle to go along to get along.
"Now, [I know that if] you don't want to say something, you just don't say it."
Kyle's Advice To Future OGs
Over the years, OGs across the franchise have come and gone, and very few are still standing. However, with newer Real Housewives iterations like Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and Real Housewives of Dubai popping up, there's a chance for some new ladies to become as entrenched in their respective shows as Kyle is in Beverly Hills.
We asked Kyle if she had any advice for beginners in the franchise, and ever the pro, she was happy to oblige.
"Never say or do anything that you don't want to do, and that isn't who you truly are," she urges.
On top of what she's already said, regarding the importance of authenticity, there's a good reason for that - one she hasn't already shared, but arguably one of the more important factors to consider, as a Bravolebrity.
FANS!
For Kyle, authenticity is the key to securing - and, more importantly, maintaining - fans' rapport. As such, being genuine on camera is the key to a long tenure on the show, regardless of the city in question.
"When a Housewife comes in thinking they're going to play a character, or they want to be liked, or they are going to project a certain image - it never works if it's not real. Those are the ones that don't last.
Fans can sense it, she continues.
So, the logical solution?
"Just be you," she urges.
Hey, when it comes to longevity in the Real Housewives franchise, who better to ask than the woman who personifies it?
Fans can catch all-new episodes of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills every Thursday on Hayu.