Lisa Rinna Spent 3 Weeks in Bed Recovering From The Traitors

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After being eliminated from The Traitors, Lisa Rinna received praise from her fellow contestants, who called her a legend and icon – labels she’d likely apply to herself. She’s built a long career as a soap opera star on Days of Our Lives and gained prominence on Melrose Place. She also finished fourth on Dancing With the Stars and spent eight seasons on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, where she became known for her dramatic behavior – like dancing on tables, breaking glasses, and directly questioning others about drug use.

During Rinna’s final season on the show, she faced criticism for frequent arguments with her castmates and negative comments about the show online, especially after her mother, Lois, passed away during filming. While fans reacted negatively to her at BravoCon in 2022, her public image improved this season on The Traitors. She embraced the role of a villain so convincingly that it was entertaining to watch. Rinna, along with fellow cast members Candiace Dillard-Bassett and Rob Rausch, formed a strong alliance of Traitors. However, Rob ultimately betrayed Lisa by siding with Colton Underwood, a former Bachelor, and revealed her as a Traitor to the entire group.

Let’s start by discussing your departure from ‘Traitors.’ You had an emotional goodbye and mentioned leaving ‘Housewives’ was really tough on you. And it definitely was.

It was a really tough time for me. I was publicly grieving while filming, and looking back, I should have taken a break. But I felt obligated to keep working, and it didn’t go well. Ultimately, watching my own grief on TV was painful for both me and the audience, as it brought up difficult emotions for others. The final moments of filming Traitors were particularly hard, but I’m thankful for the experience because it allowed me to really cry and process my emotions for the first time in years, which was actually a positive thing.

After my time on Housewives, I wasn’t exactly jumping at the chance to do another reality show, honestly. I was actually thinking I’d rather watch The Traitors! But, I’m a businesswoman, so people started approaching me with all the reasons why I should do it. Eventually, I started to see the potential, and I figured, what did I really have to lose?

Was there a specific moment that convinced you to participate? It all came down to a conversation with a close friend – my neighbor, actually. I’ve known her since she was a baby, and she’s now 27. She called and strongly encouraged me to do the show, and I really respect her opinion. She was the one who finally made me think, ‘You know what? I’m going to do it.’ So, I’d say Sydney Bacco is the reason I ended up on The Traitors.

Before the competition started, did you have a plan? Not really. I hadn’t even seen shows like Survivor or Big Brother. I don’t know much about competitive gaming, except that people can be really tough. So I decided to just focus on having a good style and enjoying the experience, and see how things went.

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about my outfits! I didn’t want to overdo it on The Traitors because Alan does such a great job with hair and makeup – it’s his signature style. I wanted to find a look that felt right for the show. We had a fitting where I tried on a lot of different clothes, and we ended up with something that was fashionable, comfortable, and felt like me – not too over-the-top or like a costume.

Alan reveals you’re the Traitor. What did you do then? How did you play the game after that? Basically, as the Traitor, your goal is to eliminate the other players, and I think I succeeded. I found it really fun and was quite effective at it.

If I had been a Faithful player, I think I would have approached the game very differently. Being a Faithful makes you a huge target, and it seems like a really difficult position to be in. Honestly, I’m relieved I wasn’t one of them – it looked pretty tough, and they didn’t have an easy time.

You’re right to point that out. And honestly, I agree! I even told Natalie Anderson as much – I said her team was struggling. She admitted it, saying she was already aware of the issues.

It’s frustrating that Rob voted for me twice, it felt like a betrayal. It’s just part of the game, though. I was really bummed because we had a strong bond as a group, and I didn’t want that to fall apart, and I think Candiace felt the same way. Rob is playing the game well, and I can’t blame him for that, but it’s a bit shady and he’s getting called out for it, which I think he deserves after being so popular the previous week. Everyone seemed to be on his side, even you.

Yes, ma’am.
I’m glad that he got a little heat, because he needed it to be taken down a few notches.

To be honest, before filming The Traitors, I hadn’t really met Candiace or Porsha before. I was already familiar with Dorinda and Caroline, though – I’d seen them around and was a fan of their work. So, those two I knew going in, but Candiace and Porsha were completely new to me.

It’s just… heartbreaking. She apparently knew, before she was murdered, who she’d never see again, and it’s just stuck with me. It means I won’t get to see her at BravoCon, or anywhere else, ever again. That’s all I keep thinking about.

When she said that, my immediate thought was, “Lisa won’t be at BravoCon, and she never goes to BravoCon.” I basically told her as much – I said, “No, you won’t,” and I was being very direct. I really leaned into the dramatic role I was playing, especially with that storyline. It was so enjoyable, and I felt like I gave her a really good plot twist to work with.

Speaking of great murders, your final murder with the amulet brooch was amazing.
Thank you.

Someone asked if I was chosen because the amulet matched my outfit. I actually wasn’t picked at all. I selected it myself, knowing I was taking a risk, but I didn’t mind. I just knew it would look amazing with my clothes and get me noticed. It didn’t get me what I wanted, but it was a memorable choice.

Lisa, I have to say, your acting was brilliant when you pretended your zipper was stuck! Was that something you planned from the beginning? How did you even think to get someone to fix it for you?

Well, originally I was going to drop it and have Colton pick it up, but I realized he was suspicious and watching my every move. I didn’t want to risk it. So I started thinking about who I could ask for help. I figured if I said, ‘Oh my god, I can’t close it, it’s stuck,’ someone would offer. I knew Yam Yam or Johnny would definitely do it.

I expected everyone who’s gay to participate, except for Colton, who seems interested in me. I really like Yam Yam and we had a lot of fun, but when I got to that spot, I knew I had to do it immediately, since we were short on time.

There’s been some criticism about Yam Yam being allowed to accuse Lisa after he was eliminated. People are questioning if it was fair for him to make those accusations on his way out. Honestly, I was just really surprised when he said it. My immediate thought was that I was in trouble. Seeing the reactions online now, it’s pointed out that he wasn’t supposed to be able to speak since he was ‘eliminated,’ which is a good point. It feels good to see people defending me, though.

With you gone, is there anyone still in the castle you’re hoping will win? Honestly, just Candiace. The Faithfuls are awful.

People often underestimate the Housewives in this game, and there’s this idea that they won’t support each other. Honestly, I immediately voted for a Housewife because I was trying to find someone who was secretly a Traitor. I think that whole ‘Housewives stick together’ mindset is ridiculous, especially since I’m no longer considered a Housewife myself!

I also loved the moment when Colton first confronted you, saying you weren’t acting how he expected. You responded by saying you could play the ‘Housewife’ role if that’s what he wanted, but that wasn’t genuinely you. Was that just you playing a game, or were you being truthful? It was both, honestly. Towards the end of my time on Housewives, I was unfairly labeled, and it’s taken me three years to be on a show where people are saying, ‘Oh, we love her again!’ I feel like I never changed, they just had a different perception of me. That conversation with Colton was a genuine moment where I told him that setting expectations only leads to disappointment. If someone tells me they expect me to be a certain way, I reject it. I’m Lisa Rinna – I’ve been in this business for 37 years, and I’m an actress. That whole exchange was very real.

Viewers of the Housewives series have definitely noticed Dorinda acting differently – she’s usually much more high-energy, but this season she’s been surprisingly calm and reserved. I feel like I immediately became a focus of attention, but Dorinda might be too, although it’s not being discussed. She just isn’t behaving like her usual self, and there’s not much anyone can do about it.

I think Erika Jayne from the Housewives would be a fantastic addition to The Traitors. It would also be really fun to see a major movie star compete, like Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lawrence, or Kate Hudson – someone who isn’t a Housewife.

Speaking of talented actors, I think Harry Hamlin would be fantastic! He’s really intelligent and resourceful – the kind of guy who could easily survive in the wilderness, like MacGyver. He’s got a bit of that problem-solver personality. For example, if he found a snake in the yard, he’d safely contain it and have the gardeners relocate it – he wouldn’t dream of hurting it.

Would you come back for an all-Housewives season of The Traitors?
No!

Why not?
I don’t want to be near those women. Hell no.

People often ask how playing the ‘Traitor’ role compares to being on ‘Housewives.’ It’s completely different. ‘Traitor’ is a game, and I always kept that in mind, so I never took things personally or held any grudges. I just did what the role required. ‘Housewives,’ on the other hand, wasn’t a game at all – that’s the key difference.

You often hear players say, ‘It’s just a game, so do what you want.’ But for the women on these reality shows, being on TV is their real life, and they tend to treat the competition as if it were. We’re seeing that now with Candiace and her conflict with Rob. It’s tricky because things quickly become emotionally charged. We were watching a discussion recently, and Harry admitted how difficult it is, because everyone’s underlying issues surface when they’re under pressure. It’s a lot to process, which is why I prefer to stay detached and remember it’s not personal – it’s just a game.

My daughters understood how challenging it was for me to be on the show. It took me three weeks to fully recover, and they commented on how much it took out of me. Ultimately, though, it was heartwarming for all of us to see me being my authentic self on television.

I needed a full three weeks to recover – and it wasn’t just physical. It was mental and emotional too. I genuinely just had to spend that time resting in bed. I know it sounds like a long time, but I really needed it – maybe even longer.

It was wonderful watching you, Lisa. I’m really happy with how it went – I feel like I’ve already won, and I don’t even need to finish. I truly feel victorious.

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2026-02-05 01:57