'Real Housewives of Dallas' star Stephanie Hollman reveals big changes she made going into Season 2
This ain't her first rodeo, but Stephanie Hollman still made some changes going into Season 2 of "Real Housewives of Dallas."
The mother of two, who charmed Bravo loyalists last year with her quippy one-liners and her playful friendship with Brandi Redmond, recently opened up to AOL Entertainment about the pressure she felt while filming Season 1 and her new approach going into Season 2.
"Last year I felt like it was so serious," she explained to us. "I was so nervous all the time, and it's hard to trust the process when you're not sure what's going to happen. This time around was very different for me, though, because I trust Bravo and Bravo's fans more [than I did before]. I trust the process. It's easier to let your guard down when you do that."
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One way that Hollman was able to relax a bit more during the four-month filming process was to reevaluate her household's dynamic in order to be more realistic about how much she could have on her plate at one time.
"I was smarter this year! Last year, juggling the kids going to and from school, that was a real struggle for me," she continued. "If things ran over with filming, I couldn't just call the school and be like, 'Sorry!' I never wanted to be that mom that's not dependable, so we hired an assistant/house manager just to get everything done. I just realized that I don't do well under stress, and I wanted to make sure my kids never felt like they couldn't do the things that they always could."
Hollman's struggle with dealing with stress was proven when she suffered a string of three car accidents while filming the show's first season. It was a scary reminder to take a step back.
"I don't know if you noticed, but last year I had three different cars during the ten episodes, because I had three different accidents during filming," she revealed to AOL Entertainment. "I would get so flustered! I wrecked my car, my loaner car and then my car again. I lost my insurance, so I also had to get someone to drive me around [this season]."
The active philanthropist also credits Bravo with being flexible to her busy schedule and allowing her to still be there for her two boys. During filming, she was able to take them to school in the morning and tuck them into bed at night which made "a big difference" for her this year.
Another major difference this year for Hollman is that her friendship with Redmond was tested in a way that it never had been before. The trailer for the series' second season teases tear-jerking drama between the besties, and Hollman even likened the situation to a death -- that's how much her friendship with Brandi means to her.
"I felt so lost, almost to the point where I wasn't healthy," she said of the time when she and Brandi weren't speaking. "My world had stopped. For me, I went in [to this season] wanting to find myself. I knew I could learn from the experience, because whenever something bad happens, you can grow from it or you can let it control you. I wanted to grow from it and become a better person."
At the end of the day, though things seemingly end up being patched up between the two stars, Hollman is grateful that their bond was put through the ringer.
"I will say that it was the best thing that ever happened to me," she explained. "I think she might say the same thing. When you're in it, it feels like death -- I was in mourning! I felt like she had died."
One thing you won't see much of from Stephanie this season is her endless charity work. The reason? Hollman, who made an anonymous bone marrow donation earlier this year and supports organizations like The Family Place and Big Brothers Big Sisters, doesn't want to make charitable acts about herself.
"I do a lot of charity work, but I don't showcase it that much," she said. "It's something personal for me. These are things that we do within the community, but I don't feel like I want to put them on TV, because then it becomes [about me]. If something like a fight happened at an event, I wouldn't feel right."
"I wanted to make this a platform about more than just myself."
"Real Housewives of Dallas" Season 2 premieres on Monday, August 14, at 10 p.m. EST on Bravo.
See photos of the entire "Real Housewives of Dallas" Season 2 cast:
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