Alexia Nepola Feels 'Very Connected' to the Current Cast of 'RHOM': 'We Have More of a History Now'

Alexia Nepola knows how to stay grounded in the wild world of reality television.

The Real Housewives of Miami star has been a pillar of the Florida franchise since it launched in 2011 and when it made its grand return in 2021. Despite the drama, Nepola admits she and her castmates have deep ties to one another.

Nepola speaks exclusively with OK! about her relationships with her cast members, how she takes care of her mental health while filming and what keeps her motivated.

"We're all better friends," the mother-of-two explains of her fellow Housewives, who are currently filming the seventh season. "What time does is that it makes all these different moments that we've lived in each other's lives. It's definitely been better in terms of my friend group. I feel very connected to all the girls and they've all really been there by my side."

After opening her heart and letting audiences into her personal life for years, Nepola has figured out the tools to keep her mental health in check. "I always say that filming for me has been therapeutic because I get to talk about things," she explains.

"Some people say I have verbal diarrhea because I talk too much," the businesswoman says with a laugh. "I feel like the audiences like that, but everybody has an opinion. If you're that kind of person, you like it. If you don't, you won't. But I like talking about things whether they're uncomfortable, whether they cause hurt, if it's painful or not. Those conversations always help me. I'm the type of person that I need to get it off my chest."

When Nepola isn't entertaining the masses on the reality series, she's focused on her booming business, Alexia + Frankie's Beauty Bar, one of the many ventures she's tackled throughout her life.

When asked what keeps her hustling, she says, "I feel like it's my children. I'm a fighter. I had such a good example in my mother. She was such a warrior. She was an immigrant. She came to this country and left everything behind in Cuba. Even with her degree, she had to start medical school again in this country and become a doctor again. I just had a really good example."