Drama has been bountiful all season long on Southern Charm, and tonight’s Season 8 finale kept things rolling. Craig Conover threw a Winter Wonderland party to celebrate the success of Sewing Down South, but things of course went pearshaped as the alcohol flowed. Not with Naomie, though; this time, it was with Leva, of all people!
Despite Leva’s attempts to steer clear of the drama this season on SoCharm — she skipped out on the St. Simons trip to avoid this very situation — she found herself smack dab in the middle of it when Craig Conover turned his ire her way. Decider hopped on a Zoom with Leva earlier this week, and she did NOT hold back when it came to sharing her side of the story.
DECIDER: There’s only one way to start this, so let’s get into it. What can you tell us about the verbal fisticuffs that went down between you and Craig at the Winter Wonderland party.
LEVA BONAPARTE: Well, I think you guys noticed that I actually did not go on the last group trip [to St. Simons Island]. I think the screaming at Naomie was really starting to wear on me as a friend, because I’m just not built in a way where I can watch that and be like “Another drink, please.” I’d had enough, and I’m allowed to have my boundaries. I’m allowed to demand respect, and I don’t want to break bread with people who are not showing that respect. This is why I do not put myself in scenarios like that.
I genuinely love Craig, I’ve been friends with him for 10 years. I think I’m even in his book (Pillow Talk); I interviewed with his [ghost]writer. I’ve rooted for Craig, but this year he’s been pushing boundaries with me and people I love. I don’t want to give you more [reasons] because, like I said, he’s like a little brother. But it was mentally hard on me because I am built to say exactly what I want to say, but I was trying to be gentle because I care about him.
I kept trying to talk to him. I was like, “Listen! You need to work out your feelings. You need to have boundaries, you need to communicate. You know you need to tell Naomie that you have always been a person who’s cool with your exes, and you’ve always sort of been judgmental with people who aren’t.” Let’s not forget how judgmental he was of her when she was not able to hang out with him [after Craig and Naomie’s breakup]. So I think he was too proud to be like, “I’m doing the same thing you did with Metul.” He couldn’t say that, I think, because he was so judgy about Metul, and then Metul ended up being, like, a dud, so he didn’t want to say anything. So, I just couldn’t anymore. I was like, “Can you all just go to group therapy?” I can’t.
DECIDER: [making the Bill Hader eating popcorn GIF face IRL] Go on…
So, I’m at the Winter Wonderland party. I’m very friendly with Sewing Down [South, Craig’s retail location in Charleston], I’m friendly with his partners. I mean, when they were shopping leases, I was trying to help them. I did a pillow line with Craig, and Republic is just a hop and a skip away from each other. We’re in city things together, and we communicate with each other, so I have my own relationship with them. And then, when it came to the finale, I think it started by Paige a being a lot younger and not knowing how we move. You know, how I move as a business owner and somebody who’s in their forties. So Craig and I were having it out, and I was a little gobsmacked by it, because it was a company party. So, to me, work parties and personal issues are so separate.
I’m like an actress; if it has to do with it work, you could like stop me with a knife, and I’d be like, “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m totally fine, how is your dinner?” What do they say? A true hostess is like a swan: people see them floating across the water gracefully, but they’re really paddling like mad underneath. Right? I just come from that mental perspective, and that’s no shade to Craig, but I did NOT expect the big feelings. I did not expect the passive aggressiveness, because I was just was sitting down with his business partners. Why do you to think [our conversation] has anything to do with your business? I was just trying to do my thing as an adult, but Paige is like, “Oh, she’s talking to your partners,” and I’m like, “I always talk to them.” I could text them when I leave, you know.
But anyways, then it got heated, and it was like a powderkeg. I was just like enough enough ENOUGH of this kiddie fucking shit. I’m done with this.
DECIDER: Well, one of the few things that people can agree upon from this chaotic season is that you look totally amazing. What kind of secrets can you share about your diet and exercise regimen?
It’s mind blowing to me how people forget also that from the time that you guys first got to see me, my son was two and a half. And now my son’s four and a half, right? So it’s been two years [since we filmed Southern Charm Season 7]. You can deep dive on my Instagram, I’ve always just been like a one hundred and twenty one to twenty four pounds. I’m kind of a pretty big girl. You know, like whatever, I’ve got the humps. But I’ve always I’ve never been overweight, really, but I gained seventy pounds [during pregnancy] and I went through a ton of fertility treatments. Five years worth. Fertility treatments will really mess the body up.
And when my son was born, he was my priority; snapping back was not my priority, you know? And I actually ended up gaining like 15 pounds from eating Lay’s during Covid. But then I just hunkered down, working out three times a week. Literally no carbohydrates, very limited amount of food. I lost, I think, about 28 pounds. Then I had a breast reduction, and then I went to see my doctor because I had a c-section scar that really bothered me, so I never wanted to be in a bikini. And he made that go away. People were like, “Have you had a tummy tuck?” I’m like, “No, I haven’t had a tummy tuck. I can pull my belly skin.” You can see it in bikini photos. But when my doctor made my scar less noticeable, then I could wear bikinis, and that motivated me. It took a long time to get here, you know. I don’t want to oversell it, either, because it was baby weight is just different than being overweight. You know what I mean. So your body finally gets in a groove, and then it’s like, “Okay, this is where we were.” I’m still fifteen pounds off of what I was before, but it takes some time, right?
In my thirties, I used to life, and in my forties cardio is what my body needs. Lifting doesn’t do anything for me like it used to in my twenties. I used to be pretty fit back in the day. But yeah, people are like, “Did you get facial surgery? Did you do this? Do that?” I’m like, “No, I have a glam team now.” I did not cut up my face and do all these crazy things that people think.
DECIDER: Do you have any regrets about skipping the group trip to St. Simons? You seem to have a strong, calming presence on your fellow castmembers. Remembering back to the first episode of the season, Kathryn didn’t blow up on Naomie until you walked away for a few short minutes. Do you think you could have helped cut the tension with Craig and Naomie, and Shep and Taylor, if you had been there?
I definitely feel that I could have done that, but it would have been to my detriment, you know? That’s where it all became sort of too much for me. So yes, I wish I would have been there, but I prioritized my own mental health. I had a great time at home with my two Lamars.
DECIDER: Next week’s the reunion. Everyone’s really anticipating it, partially because last season’s was super crazy. How did your experience at the reunion go this year, without spilling too many details.
This reunion, I think, is just really raw. I think it’s going to be like the rawest you’ve seen on Southern Charm. It was a lot of tears. We’ll get into the Venita of it all, an why, I’m actually upset. It wasn’t just a text. You’ll see Madison and Venita, you’ll see Shep and Taylor. You’ll see Austen and Olivia. There’s just so many dynamics. You’ll see me and Kathryn. There’s so many grievances, and there wasn’t enough communication, because … for some reason.
Luckily, when Andy [Cohen]’s there, it doesn’t go zero to 1,000 that quickly. He gets you to hang out at, like, 30 for a minute to get some conversation in. Then it goes to 100, because Andy’s able to just like, make us laugh before he turns up the dial.
I think you’ll see that some people are shocked at things they hear, including me. There was a jaw-dropping moment for me as the reunion transpires, you actually see something happen that’s like kind of heartbreaking for me only because I I love those individuals, and you know the Shep and Taylor of it all. It’s just, like, a lot of crying. There’s a lot of crying and screaming, and really raw motions.
Contrary to what people think, we’re all very connected. There’s a lot of really genuine connections, which is why it makes it hard to bring up things. Because, just like in life, when you’re mad at your friend, it’s really hard to confront them. You don’t want to be vicious and mean and embarrass people because you care about them. But sometimes you’re very angry, or you have things to say — but you guys will see a lot.
The Southern Charm Season 8 finale will be available to stream on Peacock tomorrow, Friday, September 30. Part 1 of the explosive two-part Southern Charm reunion will air on Bravo on Thursday, October 6, at 9pm ET.