Sometimes, knowing when to step away is the most courageous thing a person can do. The sun is setting for Chrishell Stause on Selling Sunset. Since the series launched on Netflix in 2019, Stause has been a constant presence. Over the course of nine seasons, Stause became a breakout character, helping her establish a name for herself beyond her early days as a soap star. But her time on Selling Sunset is coming to a close for reasons that might surprise you.
Stause made the major reveal in an interview with Bustle in which she discussed the mental and emotional toll the series has taken on her. With that, she felt that it was best not to put herself in that position anymore and step away. “I’ve gotten to a place where I don’t need the show financially,” she told the outlet. “I’m lucky to have other forms of employment, because it’s no longer good for my mental health.” Stause’s decision draws a clear line in the sand, putting the power in the hands of other high-profile reality stars to prioritize well-being over entertainment. But her departure raises a litany of questions about where Selling Sunset goes without its central narrator and emotional anchor. Reality shows can survive with cast shake-ups, but the pain of this loss might linger.
Chrishell Reminds Viewers That Mental Health Is Priority Number One
Leaving Selling Sunset was not an easy decision for Stause. As she told the outlet, she “vacillated back and forth with this decision in the past.” Ultimately, not even Selling Sunset creator Adam DiVello‘s constant contact could sway her decision to leave. “I have to be honest — having come from nothing, it’s really hard to turn something like this down,” she said. With a decision that she didn’t come to lightly, Stause understood how the show was “no longer good” for her mental health.
In the heyday of reality television, it may be seen as a weakness for a reality star to leave a program for their well-being. Nowadays, it’s seen as a heroic move. Many Drag Race contestants across the globe have stepped away from the biggest stage in order to keep themselves healthy. During Season 2 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Jen Affleck bravely opened up about her mental well-being, opting to stop filming until she was ready to return. Now, with Stause explaining how her decision aligns with those before her, the difficulty of filming reality television is exposed.
As technology and social media have evolved, reality television stars are feeling the effects. It’s no longer the perfect dream it once was. For someone like Stause, who earns a meaty paycheck for her appearance, she no longer needs it or the exposure. An appearance on Dancing With the Stars and The Traitors suggests all signs are fine post-Selling Sunset.
Chrishell Continues the Conversation About Editing and Image, Hitting the Heart of Reality TV’s Power Problem
For a show like Selling Sunset, the docufollow aspect displays the participants’ personal and professional lives. They intertwine, and thus, when there are moments of drama, it’s not just for the camera. It can sincerely affect everything. Stause expressed her concerns about certain co-stars, namely Emma Hernan, who no longer felt comfortable. With Hernan, it cost Stause her image. “With Emma, I just look like an overbearing friend. But there are so many things that would’ve completely vindicated me and my opinion, and they left all of it out,” she revealed. By noting how the edit altered her appearance, it then altered her reality.
As some fans point out that the edit shapes the perception of what they’re viewing, Stause’s comments validate her fear. With some key context cut out, Stause’s character shifted in favor of a simpler narrative. So, how can the edit truly be sharing reality if it’s not actually the truth? Well, that’s the genre! As RuPaul‘s song says, “Blame it on the edit.” Stause has every right to question the validity of her edit and how it played into her decisions regarding her own mental health, but did the cameras lie? No, they don’t, but producers can decide what makes it to air from the hours upon hours of filming.
‘Selling Sunset’ Will Need to Sell a New Story
With Stause’s exit following the Season 6 full drop, the decision could affect where Selling Sunset goes next. The series may be at a crossroads, as there were some brazen changes that go beyond a shake-up and more of a launching of a new era. When the series premiered, Stause was at the forefront of the story through many pivotal moments —marriages, divorces, career pivots, and rivalries. While other big names, like Christine Quinn and Heather El Moussa, have left without Selling Sunset defaulting, Stause’s exit is major. She was the throughline. For now, the final remaining original cast members are Jason Oppenheim and Mary Bonnet. Can they carry the show for a potential Season 10, or is it the nail in the coffin?
Stause isn’t the only cast member saying goodbye to the high-end brokerage. Nicole Young is also not returning to the series should another season be ordered. Though some believe she was fired, the reunion confirmed it was false. The now-infamous Girlsgiving debacle was heated thanks to her feud with Stause, but Young’s departure from the series, paired with Jason and Brett Oppenheim asking her to leave the brokerage, was much more explosive. The new season aimed to add drama by casting Sandra Vergara, the younger sister of Sofía Vergara, in the cast. She, too, was central in the Stause drama during the series. Can having a famous last name allow her to carry the new era of the show? With an unstable ensemble heading forward, it may be best to cut their losses and go out on a high. Though this is Netflix. If the ratings are hitting, they won’t be quitting!
Stause’s departure is a bigger deal than we are giving it credit for. Her bravery to put herself first is honorable. Rather than compromising her future on a show that may slowly be on the decline, she’s departing on her terms before things get too out of hand. As she told Bustle, “If they do continue, I wish them the best. If they do do another one, by then, I may not watch it. I don’t know. But I have no ill will toward the show.” Selling Sunset and its sister series are now experiencing what the major Bravo franchises have faced for years. Call Stause the Garcelle Beauvais of Selling Sunset. Beauvais quit when it became too much. And she left a hero. She didn’t need The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills any more than Stause needed Selling Sunset. The breakup may not have been perfect, but they’ll all move on. It’s the sick cycle of reality television.
Selling Sunset is available to stream on Netflix.
- Release Date
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March 21, 2019
- Writers
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Adam DiVello
- Franchise(s)
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Selling The OC
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