Soap-Hopper Eileen Davidson Reveals the Show That Was Too Toxic for Her to Stay
“It’s a tough gig… ”
Eileen Davidson is not a woman who shrinks from a challenge, as evidenced by some of the stunning work she’s done on daytime. That said, she seems to concede that The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was probably not the best fit for her.
During a segment on KTLA, entertainment reporter Sam Rubin asked if — despite the financial benefits and exposure offered by Housewives — Davidson was better off for having left the series. “I can not speak for everybody,” she began, “but I think for my personal disposition and well-being emotionally, it’s probably best for me not to be on the show.
“And then watch,” she laughed, seemingly referencing how often cast members exit and later return, “I’ll be on the show next year!”
Rubin, apparently no fan of the series, asked, “How much toxicity can we all take? I think it would be so unnerving!”
With that, Davidson could not disagree. “It is,” she nodded. “I had a difficult time with it. I think more difficult than most, I’m assuming, because it was really hard on me.”
On a lighter note, she and Lisa Rinna — who still appears on Housewives — had fun filming a sequence for the Days of Our Lives spinoff Beyond Salem which was clearly an homage to some of the more infamous catfights to take place on the reality show. During the scene, Rinna’s Billie and Davidson’s Kristen engage in a glass-breaking, table-overturning catfight which will seem more than a little familiar to Bravo viewers.
More: Relive the big Kristen/Billie showdown
“It was actually kind of a combination of a lot of conflicts from different Housewives franchises,” she explained of the clip, which, along with the KTLA interview, can be seen below. “Because the writers from Beyond Salem were somewhat brilliant [and] wanted to somewhat encapsulate the Housewives experience!”
Despite it not being a good fit for her, Davidson — who also plays The Young and the Restless‘ Ashley — said she understood why so many continue to appear on reality shows like Housewives. “It depends on the person,” she summed up. “I know it’s a tough gig, but… the rewards are pretty grand. So it’s a dilemma!”
More: Abby’s return will crank up the drama
Do you think Davidson made the right call in leaving the reality series? Share your thoughts in the comment section, then check out this photo gallery in which we revisit some of the biggest real-life scandals to rock the lives of your favorite soap stars.
