Lisa Rinna Opens Up About Trauma From Filming 'RHOBH,' Says She Gave Andy Cohen Her 'Power'

Lisa Rinna recently opened up about an interesting situation she had with Andy Cohen in early 2025 and revealed she used to give the Bravo patriarch too much of her "power" while filming "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."

During an episode of her new podcast, "Let's Not Talk About The Husband," the villainous reality star reflected on a previous interaction with Cohen in which she felt she shrunk herself to meet his needs. As she continued, Rinna seemingly hinted that she'd become accustomed to that behavior during her eight years working for the network. However, the time for change has finally arrived.

Rinna was a mainstay on the Bravo reality show from her first season in 2014 up until she departed the series in 2022. Throughout her run, she was involved in her fair share of altercations, which resulted in hours of must-see television.

However, after her eight-year run as a main cast member, her departure left a noticeable void in the cast, and the show lost much of its spark.

Several have wondered whether the mother of two would return to the series, considering it revitalized her career and made her a household name. However, she made it clear during a previous interview that she had no interest in rejoining the Beverly Hills social circle.

In fact, she likened the show to a sinking ship, calling it the "Titanic."

"We all know it's the f-cking 'Titanic,'" she said, adding that the producers are "always looking" for ways to make the series pop.

On an episode of Cohen's radio show, "Andy Cohen Live," the "Watch What Happens Live" host called Rinna out for trashing the show despite not being on it.

"You mouth off," he said before Rinna apologized for hurting his feelings in February 2025.

She said, "I put my foot in my mouth."

A month later, Rinna addressed the situation with Cohen on her podcast and admitted she fell back into a "role" she used to play when she worked for the latter.

“What happened to me, I believe is, the minute I walked into that space, I [fell] into a trope of Housewife to Big Daddy,” Rinna told her husband, Harry Hamlin. “I fall back into a role that I played, I believe, for eight years where I give my power to Andy Cohen, who is my boss. Just dynamically, that is where I went right back to. Almost like a little girl going back to the role she plays in her family.”

Rinna's comments are unsurprising, though. Former "Real Housewives" stars, including NeNe Leakes, Vicki Gunvalson, and Bethenny Frankel, have also spoken out about their complicated relationship with Cohen.

"He's at the top, and he is moving everybody around on the board," Leakes told Frankel during a previous episode of Frankel's "Just B" podcast.

The "Real Housewives of New York" alum agreed and even acknowledged the "psychology that goes on with this ... show" before saying the "power" dynamic with Cohen and his cast members is "tricky."

Although Rinna admitted to having an enjoyable time with Cohen on his show, the "Days of Our Lives" actress didn't feel great about her response to Cohen's pushback regarding her comments.

“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t agree in some way. But what I really realized and what I’m trying to say is: Think about in life when you go back into situations that maybe either held trauma or you have a reaction in some way,” she said. “I was able to clock it and look at my reaction in the moment and how I really took on a different role than I am [in] right now. Two and a half years later, I’m in a different place, but I reverted back to that old place.”

Rinna's recent revelation isn't the first time she's openly reflected on her time on "RHOBH." In the debut episode of her podcast, the "American Horror Stories" performer discussed the moment she decided to leave the series by emailing her resignation to the producers.

Her original plan, however, was to quit during the show's season 12 reunion, which aired on television in October 2022. "I wish I would've now that I look back on it," Rinna said.

"I was going to do it on camera," she continued. "And I wish I would've done that."