REALITY TVRHOD's D’Andra Simmons Is ‘Very Proud’ Of Bravo’s Safety Measures Amid Pandemic: 'Grateful To Have This Job'
The Real Housewives of Dallas is ready for season 5! RHOD star D’Andra Simmons revealed how Bravo is doing a great job of filming the reality series amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. So much so, the 50-year-old told Page Six she's "very proud" of the network for taking the virus "very seriously."
While filming the hit show, there are certain safety measures that must be followed in order to protect the cast and crew. For example, face masks must be worn by castmembers at all times, in addition to having a "COVID monitor" — a person who wipes down the set before and after filming — help out. Wherever the ladies film — whether it's at a house or on location — everything must be sanitized and wiped down.
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“We get COVID tests either weekly or biweekly, so especially now when we do go on our what our version of what a cast trip is, because you can’t really go that far, you do get COVID tests and so does the entire crew,” Simmons explained. “I think they’re being very responsible and very careful, because of course, we were thinking, ‘How are we going to do this in a pandemic?’ But it has worked, and knock on wood none of the cast has had any issues with COVID.”
The Dallas native disclosed that she is staying put and not venturing out in order to protect the people on set. “I literally stay in my house unless I have to go do something that is required for the show, except for a few tiny little instances because I don’t want to take any chances on contracting something and bringing it back to someone else on the cast or crew,” she said. “I take my job very seriously and I’m very grateful to have this job.”
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The CEO of Hard Night Good Morning skincare — who is married to Jeremy Lock — also revealed she has been struggling throughout quarantine — especially when it comes to running her business. “I was pretty depressed for a while,” she said. “How I was going to keep my employees on the payroll is the most important thing to me.”
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“You have to kind of just create a new reality and come up with solutions all the time to keep your business going and keep you from being down in the dumps,” the brunette beauty said.
After her dad committed suicide, Simmons "was very stern with people" and "not very compassionate." However, she is "finding that vulnerability again" during these difficult times.
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Despite the ups and downs, Simmons always thinks of a phrase her father told her. "'Pick yourself up by your bootstraps and keep on trucking,' so that's what I did," she dished.
Season 5 of RHOD will be interesting without LeeAnne Locken, but Simmons couldn't help but tease what's to come. “In my opinion, it will be probably the best season we’ve ever had because the show is amazing this year,” she said while chatting with Derek Zagami on RealiTea With Derek Z. “It’s not because Locken’s not on the show, it’s just a different group of girls, a different vibe and you will not be disappointed. I will tell you that 100 percent.”
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“There’s drama, there’s storyline, there’s so much going on, more than we have ever had going on,” she added.
Sounds like we're in for a wild ride!
