Chrishell Stause
It’s a tale as old as time. A young, charismatic, small town girl in rural America decides to head out to Hollywood to pursue a career in acting, determined to make all of her dreams come true. For Kentucky native Chrishell Stause, that journey rings true for her, but after years of striving to make a name for herself early on with supporting roles on daytime soap operas All My Children and Days of Our Lives, Chrishell has become the heroine of her own story today, leading the pack as a savvy businesswoman who is here to stay.
For many fans and supporters, the 39-year-old actress and reality star has made the biggest splash so far in Hollywood by sharing her life as a top realtor at The Oppenheim Group in Los Angeles on the hit Netflix series Selling Sunset for three seasons strong. She broadened her recognition and popularity even more with her recent participation on Season 29 of Dancing with the Stars just last year. On Chrishell’s Instagram profile, she titles herself “Actor. Realtor. Sometimes Dancer.” Today in 2021, Chrishell continues to embrace all of those parts of her career. “I mean, they’re all so different and it has kind of tested me and challenged me each time I started a new path,” Chrishell says exclusively to Forbes. “I love the idea of being able to be creative or be successful and have business and creative things and all of that and not have to choose one thing. I think it has really made me grow in so many aspects.”
With reality television sometimes questioned by the public for its authenticity, Chrishell has noticed her experiences and confidence on Selling Sunset evolve as time goes on, as she is determined to remain true to herself and not allow the cameras nor the occasionally exaggerated drama from those around her to affect her own genuine nature. “You know, I think it was a learning process. I think season one I was a little shocked by it all. I was just so thrown by what I dived into. Yes, I understand that we’re here to make a TV show, but I never do anything that feels inauthentic to something that I would do in the real world. This is me, it’s just heightened scenarios sometimes. I feel like that’s really important, because I want people to watch the show and really get a feel for who I am. I think it would be a disservice if we were pretending to be something we weren’t. I think that’s really why people tend to love the show because we’ve seen a million of those reality shows come and go, where people are kind of like putting on fronts and acting. For better or for worse, this really is who we are so (laughs) I think people can see that when they watch.”
Chrishell Stause
Chrishell recently made headlines for her MTV Movie & TV Awards nomination for “Best Fight Unscripted” with her Selling Sunset co-star Christine Quinn. So, have the two women chatted since their nomination announcement? “Um, no. In fact, I mean that’s what would be so funny if people vote us to win,” Chrishell continues. “We’re up against the Kardashians, we’re never going to win. I haven’t seen her. We’re going to have to soon, you know we’re shooting again. It’s just one of those things. It’s hilarious, it’s definitely an honor. I never, ever expected ‘Best Fight’ but it’s really funny and hopefully we can both laugh about it at this point.”
With the long-awaited season four of Selling Sunset officially now filming, Chrishell has some hints at what fans can expect to see happen in in her life during this new season. “I’m personally looking to buy a house right now, so that’s exciting,” Chrishell reveals. “I’ll bring the cameras along for that journey. I’m working on a big project that I am yet to be able to talk about but I know that the show will be covering that, so I know that’s kind of a tease. I have some really exciting clients that I’m working with that viewers are going to die over. In a general sense, I can tell you things like that. Of course they tell us we have to be tight-lipped about the details, but there is a lot of exciting stuff.”
As Chrishell’s business opportunities and stardom continues to rise, does she see a future for herself beyond season four with Selling Sunset? “Well, I think that depends on what happens (laughs). Taking it truly day-by-day. Every single season ended up with things happening where I would have never in a million years guessed every time. As long as something is fun and you’re enjoying it and it’s challenging you, then I’m there and I’m happy to do it. And of course there will be obstacles, but I think that’s the key, you know? I want to have fun and I love being successful and doing really well with work. As long as all of those things align and the show wants to keep filming, let’s do it. If something happens where it’s no longer all of those things, then of course that would be different. I think it has the potential to go on for a long time.”
Chrishell Stause
Through her growing fame with the many projects she continues to take on to the lack of privacy her divorce to This Is Us actor Justin Hartley received in the tabloids, Chrishell has built an even stronger, healthier mindset towards social media today and knows how to handle the negative critics that still choose to take jabs at her. “Before the show, having whatever amount of followers it was, something well under a million and now having the show where it’s over two million [followers], it’s different when they were just following because they liked you. Now you’re getting people that may like you, they may not like you. That’s what I always think is funny. Why do you follow if you don’t like them? I just think the key is really don’t put something on the internet if you’re looking for some type of validation. Only put it on there if you feel good about it and you want to share it. It kind of helps that negativity just be noise and you can either block them out or laugh at it. I think you just have to have a sense of who you are. I’ve heard it all, so I feel like that helps build a thicker skin.”
Looking back on her journey from a Kentucky girl with big dreams to now a successful Hollywood working professional, Chrishell has some advice she would tell her former self with everything she has experienced and has had to overcome up to now. “I think I would tell her everything’s going to be fine. Especially when you’re in a space when you’re really trying to figure out your career and especially coming from nothing. I always had that fear it was all going to be taken away. Especially with soaps, if I get fired, then what? I always had that stress or anxiety of trying to figure out what my real life plan was going to be. That would be my number one thing. Trust in yourself, you got this! You have got this! And so, now I see my career and all the different legs that it’s taken. You don’t have to do just one thing and I think that’s a beautiful thing.”
