Kandi Burruss is embracing new opportunities following her departure from The Real Housewives of Atlanta (RHOA), most recently landing a guest role in Hulu’s Reasonable Doubt. The former reality star expressed her excitement about this transition during an interview with PEOPLE, emphasizing her desire to showcase her acting abilities in a role that resonates emotionally.
Burruss’s journey to Reasonable Doubt began fortuitously when she encountered the show’s creator, Raamla Mohamed, on a flight earlier this year. The two exchanged contact information and discussed potential roles. “I want something that I could really show my acting chops. I want to show people something with real emotion,” Burruss recalled.
In her debut on the show, which aired on October 3, Burruss portrays Eboni Phillips, a recovering addict whose testimony is pivotal to a custody case involving Daniel (Tim Jo). “Eboni is an interesting person to play,” Burruss shared. “She represents the many women whose struggles go unseen, often perceived as self-destructive rather than victims of their circumstances.”
To prepare for the role, Burruss drew inspiration from personal experiences and media headlines. “A very long time ago, I dated a guy who abused prescription drugs,” she revealed. “I tried to immerse myself in that mindset to understand the effects of addiction and how it impacts relationships. I really feel like people will be able to see me in a different light as an actress after seeing Eboni.”
Burruss acknowledged the emotional challenges of getting into character, noting that accessing dark themes required significant mental effort. “You have to think about really sad or really dark things to put you in this place,” she explained. “It takes a minute to come out of it.”
Transitioning from reality TV to scripted drama has offered Burruss a fresh perspective. “Acting is almost escapism in a way,” she said. “When the scene is done, nobody has hard feelings. But in reality TV, you leave the scene still mad at each other. It’s night and day.”
In addition to her acting role, Burruss has been busy with her musical group XSCAPE, is producing Othello on Broadway, and has begun filming additional episodes of Showtime’s The Chi. Reflecting on her post-RHOA life, she said, “I couldn’t be happier. I feel like after 14 seasons, I needed a change. Since I left, I’ve done a lot of things I’m super excited about.”
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