‘Real Housewives Of Orange County’ Besties Taylor Armstrong & Jennifer Pedranti Tease Season 17: “Buckle Up”

It’s still early in this season of The Real Housewives Of Orange County, but the ladies are delivering all the friendship, fun, and drama that fans crave. Thanks to a brilliant bit of casting, two Orange County residents are taking the franchise by storm. Jennifer Pedranti, a longtime friend of returning cast member Tamra Judge, is a mother, a yoga studio owner, and an advocate for fostering children and animals. She also brings her fair share of controversy to the show. She met her boyfriend Ryan (at Judge’s CUT Fitness!) while still married to her now ex-husband Will. Even though the “scandal” happened almost two full years ago, Pedranti is being forced to address her past by her co-star Gina Kirschenheiter and others, who have been the victims of cheating partners in previous relationships. “I’m not some big proponent of affairs, but it is my story. I’m going to show up and not lie to these women,” Pedranti said.

Someone who has Pedranti’s back? The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills alum Taylor Armstrong, who joins this season of RHOC as a Friend Of after bonding with Judge on the second season of Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. Now an aspiring actress, Armstrong is proud to be the first Housewife to cross franchises and acknowledges that “fans have been really supportive.” While most of the cast members have opened their arms to embrace Armstrong, the Bravo veteran has surprisingly run afoul of co-star Heather Dubrow in a fight that involves an acting role, the IMDB, and some wild accusations from Dubrow. Armstrong addresses the conflict and tells her side of the story in full here. Though if Armstrong is anything, she’s resilient and honest to a fault, and fans know she always finds her footing and holds her ground.

Armstrong and Pedranti stopped by the Decider offices to talk about their Oklahoman bond, their RHOC debuts, the drama surrounding Ryan, and their very, very different friendships with Judge.

DECIDER: It feels strange to say this to you, Taylor, but both of you made your RHOC debuts this season. How has the fan response been?

TAYLOR ARMSTRONG (TA): I feel like the fans have been really supportive. It’s been interesting to see how much my life has evolved since I left Beverly Hills. Another fun thing has been fans getting to see my daughter Kennedy at 17. I started on Beverly Hills when she just was three. Of course, there are people out there who will say nasty things, but I’m used to that. The support I’ve received outweighs all that.

JENNIFER PEDRANTI (JP): That’s what I heard. Everybody said, buckle up Jen and don’t read anything. I was like, okay, I got to go in armored and ready, but I will tell you, I’ve had so many people reach out and share their foster stories or their experiences growing up in the foster system or their desire to foster. Being able to talk about all that has been awesome for me.

Your kids are so wonderful. Dominic is such a sweetheart! How much of the show have they seen, if at all?

JP: The kids are like, “Can we watch?” I’m like, “Absolutely not and don’t believe anything you hear.” They do want to watch the show when they are on it, so I let them. I have no problem with my kids watching those scenes. The moments that we got to film together were so special. Dominic watched himself on camera, and he was always like, “I don’t look like that.” He’s funny about it.

I know you both are from Oklahoma. Is that what bonded you initially?

TA: I don’t know. We both have a very sweet side, and you need a little bit of sugar when you’re playing in the oranges.

JP: I felt very safe with Taylor. It is just a feeling. It was there when I first met her. When I found out that she’s this small-town Oklahoma girl, I’m like, okay, makes sense.

What were some of the highlights of the Montana trip for you?

TA: We roomed together, so that was really fun. We got even closer on the Montana trip. What do you think [turning to Pedranti] was the most fun? The mechanical bull was fun until it wasn’t, when I got thrown off?

JP: Yes, rooming with Taylor and Gina was great. Even though Gina and I were at a little bit of a crossroads, it was fun to get to know each other a little more deeply.

Since you mentioned Gina… Gina has made her distaste for how you and Ryan started your relationship quite clear in her confessionals and to your fellow cast mates. Did you have any idea she felt that way?

JP: No, I had no idea. I knew Gina. Gina’s come to the yoga studio. Gina and I’ve had amazing conversations, and she’s always very supportive of divorced women with kids. When I was watching it back and hearing what she’s saying and going through, it was shocking at times. I’m not some big proponent of affairs, but it is my story. I’m going to show up and not lie to these women.

She says in one confessional, “It’s not Jennifer; it’s her story that triggers me.”

JP: For a while, I felt like I should defer to her because I am such a trigger for her. However, there was also a part of me that thinks that Gina has to work on Gina. This isn’t about me. This is something Gina is going to have to work through.

You’re a mom and a business owner who is in a great relationship. How do you make time for all the drama of the housewives in all of the “beautiful chaos”?

JP: I just came in truly wanting to meet these women. I’m at this massive transitional place in my life. I wanted to come in and be me. Really, I felt like the first time in years that I could be me. I didn’t think about the potential drama. I just wanted to come in and make genuine friendships with these women and let things go in whatever direction they naturally go.

I know other Housewives have said they see the show as a form of therapy. Jennifer, we saw that emotional scene between you and your ex-husband when he took responsibility for his part in the end of your marriage. Do you believe that to be true?

JP: I couldn’t even believe it happened. In all of our years as a married couple, he was never big on apologies. To have him sit with me and take ownership of the last two and a half years when our relationship felt apart was a gift in a weird way. I carried the blame for a long time, and to have him acknowledge that it was not one of us, but both of us, was big for me.

Taylor, has the show in any way helped you process your past?

TA: What’s helped me process my past more than anything is the public speaking I do about domestic abuse and relationship inequality at colleges and universities. I also raise money for shelters. Working in that world has been so healing for me, but Real Housewives gave me the platform to do it.

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Taylor, I know your husband John is used to all the hoopla by now, but Jennifer, how did Ryan feel about your signing up for the show?

TA: [laughs] Yeah, John doesn’t have any issues with filming. He filmed with me in a couple scenes on Beverly Hills when I came back for visits, on our wedding special and on a VH1 show. He’s been on enough and he’s just like, you go do your thing and I’ll be over here. What about Ryan, Jenn?

JP: Ryan told me: “This is going to be so fun for you. I’m so happy for you.” During filming, I would come home every single day and he’d be like, “Well, what did you and the girls do?” I’m like, “Hmm, talk about you, bitch about you.”

TA: Exactly.

JP: Neither Ryan nor I thought that our relationship would be such a major storyline.

TA: I know! I remember saying to you at one point that I was going to break up with Ryan because I was so sick about hearing about him [laughs].

JP: Can I dump Ryan for the both of us? [laughs] I’m joking, but I’m so tired of the pile on.

TA: I’m tired of it too, but I am only kidding. I really like Ryan. He’s a great guy.

Plus, he’s so great with your kids, Jenn.

JP: He really is.

It’s clear the residents of Orange County still aren’t over the “scandal” of how you and Ryan got together even two years later. Are you glad that the “haters” get to see your loving relationship and his incredible bond with your children?

JP: I am. I’ll tell you what’s been hard thought is the rehashing of Ryan’s past. I didn’t know him then. Right? Did he date a lot? Yeah. Did he have a ton of fun? Yes. The man that I know is amazing to me and amazing to my kids. There were times during the season I felt so bad. I didn’t intend to drag him through the mud. I am happy that the fans get to see the man that I’m with, the man who loves me and the kids.

Your long-time friend Tamra and CUT Fitness were there at the beginning of yours and Ryan’s relationship. What was her reaction when you told her that you were going to be a part of the cast?

JP: Tamra and I had been talking. There was no surprise. As a matter of fact, I feel like Tamra even told me she was very close with everyone and had already heard that I was in casting. She was so excited in the beginning about the possibility of us coming on together, and I was, too. I thought my girlfriend had my back. I went through being put on pause with her a couple seasons ago, and that was a hard time for Tamra. The fact that there was talk about her coming back on and possibly me coming back on, I was like, perfect. This is going to be the best time ever. Well, little did I know?

Forget about Tamra’s pause from the show. It came out on the show that you and Tamra had your own friendship pause a while back. Were you aware of these lingering issues she had with you?

JP: No, not aware at all. I did meet Ryan at CUT Fitness, but Tamra and I had so much fun in the beginning when Ryan was there. We’d be on treadmills, joking about hot gym guy, laughing about the guy that smelled amazing at the gym. She would call me and be like, “Where are you? Hot gym guy’s outside running with his shirt off?” I’d be like, “I’ve got the kids.” It was a little surprising to start unwrapping some things that she had been carrying. It’s all very real. We didn’t express those things to each other, and I don’t know why, but we do get into our feelings on camera with our viewers. They are going to experience raw emotions when Tamra and I go at it.

I spoke to Tamra early this season. She thinks that you may have had the hardest season as a newbie during her time on the show. Do you agree with that?

JP: Yes. I don’t know what any other newbie has experienced, but I’m going to say yes.

In the trailer, we clearly see Tamra throw a napkin in your face. What was going through your mind when that was happening?

JP: Shock. Tamra and I had walked in together, hand in hand. I was so grateful to have this night with my girlfriend who I have missed. When the napkin thing happened, I sat there almost paralyzed wondering did that just happen? Then I thought, maybe she needs to have a drink. I think I was just shocked.

TA: I think everyone else was, too.

And Taylor, you’re great friends with Tamra. What was it like to watch her have conflicts with the other women after Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip?

TA: Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip was fun. There wasn’t really a lot of drama except for maybe with Brandy and me… and Dorinda. Okay, I take that back [laughs]. But there was no conflict between Tamra and me. We had fun. I’ve never filmed with Tamara other than Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, so seeing her throw a napkin and lose her temper and be a firecracker, I was taken aback in the beginning. However, I know that’s what reality TV’s about and conflict always comes out.

So what can two you tease about the rest of the season?

JP: Oh, gosh, buckle up [laughs].

TA: Yeah, buckle up. I feel like there’s some turning points when things feel like they’re going to start going in a positive direction, and then things just kept getting dragged out and dragged down. We couldn’t get away from our problems.

New episodes of The Real Housewives of Orange County air Wednesdays at 8pm on Bravo.