Mauricio Umansky Says He Did ‘Everything Possible’ to ‘Save’ Marriage to Kyle Richards on Buying Beverly Hills

THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR SEASON 2 OF BUYING BEVERLY HILLS.

Season 2 of Buying Beverly Hills captures every heart-wrenching moment of Mauricio Umansky and Kyle Richards’ relationship as the couple moved towards separation.

In the opening scenes of the Netflix docudrama, the real estate mogul has a heart-to-heart with daughters Sophia Umansky, Alexia Umansky and Farrah Brittany over dinner about his 27-year marriage to the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills vet.

“I wanted to do everything possible to just save it,” he says. "You know, your mom came and she talked to me and she said, I think I need space."

Richards also set some boundaries in this new phase of their relationship, he said. "She said to me, listen, the rules are that you go out, you date, you do whatever it is that you want to do. I’m not gonna be asking you what you’re doing. I don’t want you to be asking me what I’m doing. Like, we are separated."

At the end of the scene, it's revealed that the conversation actually took place at the very end of filming for season 2. The words "6 months earlier" appear on screen and the show moves back in time to capture the full story of the couple's — and family's — struggles.

In the final episode of the season, however, viewers are returned to the same dinner table and get to see how the crucial conversation played out.

“You weren’t doing anything about it. Don’t sit here and say you did so much. You didn’t,” Sophia is quick to accuse in response to Mauricio's claim he tried to "save" the relationship. “You guys didn’t do anything.”

Alexia is more level-headed, adding, “The question is: was there ever any discussion of compromise?”

When Mauricio explains he and Richards haven’t had a serious conversation in the last two months, Farrah contends the pair may not been able to communicate “very well” such that the other person could feel “seen or heard.” But Mauricio pushes back.  

“I don’t agree with that at all. I had an amazing 26 years with your mom — an amazing 26 years,” he emphasizes. “We communicated and we talked.”

“I love you, girls,” he says later on during the conversation. “We’ll get through this strongly.”

PEOPLE confirmed in July 2023 that the couple had "separated," however Umansky also told PEOPLE last October he and Richards were still working on their marriage. “We’re having a bit of a rough patch,” he said then, adding, “She and I currently are separated, but we are not throwing in the towel. We’re not just saying that to say that. We actually are not yet throwing in the towel.”

During another episode of Buying Beverly Hills season 2, however, Umansky expressed a mix of frustration and determination. At that point, the pair had attended three couples counseling sessions.

“With Kyle, I’m starting to feel like she’s a little bit checked [out]. I certainly have reached over and wanted to kiss her and she kind of said ‘no.’ I’m starting to see that and feel that and I am not there,” he says, adding, “I’m still 100% fighting for our relationship, and I’m still thinking I’m gonna be married to her for the rest of my life.”

Later in the same episode, Umansky admits Richards’ feelings towards him had possibly changed.

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“You know, I’m sitting here and I’m realizing that perhaps Kyle is no longer in love with me and doesn’t love me the way she used to love me, and yeah, it just hurts,” he says. “There’s no question it hurts."

Umansky, 53, and Richards, 54, tied the knot in January 1996 after meeting in a nightclub in 1994. They share daughters Alexia, 27, Sophia, 24 and Portia, 16, as well as Farrah Brittany (née Aldjufrie), 35, from Kyle's first marriage to ex Guraish Aldjufrie.