Vicki Gunvalson, the "OG of the OC," revealed that her long-running role on "The Real Housewives of Orange County" negatively impacted her family, contributing to her divorce and causing her daughter Briana Culberson to distance herself from the series.
Gunvalson, who was part of the show's original cast in 2006, told The Hollywood Reporter that her daughter Briana Culberson wants "nothing to do" with the franchise. Culberson's husband, a Marine Corps veteran who completed six tours overseas, was reportedly portrayed in a negative light on the show, leading to his struggles with PTSD. Gunvalson stated that her daughter has no interest in returning to the cameras, even allegedly telling Bravo executive Andy Cohen to "please lose my number" when asked about a potential appearance.
"What the show did to their family was not good," Gunvalson said of her daughter's experience. Culberson and her husband, Ryan, have four children and have been married for 15 years.
Gunvalson's son, Michael, also appeared on a recent "RHOC" episode and noted that he had not seen his sister in eight years and had not met two of her children. Gunvalson acknowledged the distance between her children, with Michael living in Spain and Briana in Oklahoma, and expressed sadness that she cannot have her children over for family gatherings like other parents.
The "Housewives" franchise also took a toll on Gunvalson's own marriage. She recalled that her ex-husband gave her an ultimatum, forcing her to choose between their marriage and the show. "When Scott [Dunlop] approached me and Donn [Gunvalson, Vicki’s then-husband] at the time about doing this pilot, Donn’s like, 'There’s no way we’re doing this in our family,'" she said. "He was like, 'Anybody that goes on TV is going to get divorced.' I’m like, 'We’re not going to get divorced. We’re fine.' And obviously, fast-forward, we got divorced."
Gunvalson reflected that her family was more important than the show, but the show ultimately broke apart her marriage. She also noted that if a marriage is already weak, the pressures of reality television can cause it to fail.
Despite these challenges, Gunvalson recently returned to the franchise for "The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th," which commemorated two decades of the Bravo series.