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Alexia Echevarria and his wife Todd Nepola reveal about the current players, Lenny and Lisa Hochstein‘s controversial divorce, it appears from Black Leaand a strange encounter with Todd Joe Gorga.
The couple got engaged before COVID, not knowing their wedding would be delayed for almost two years. In the last season of Real Housewives of MiamiTodd’s relationship with Alexia’s son Peter is one of the main storylines.
In an interview for Behind the Velvet Rope With David Yontef podcast, Alexia and Todd share what it was like to meet each other before the show got renewed.
Todd revealed that, even now, it’s “hard” to date Alexia because fans will continue to approach her in public, asking about her personal life. “I was like, ‘how does everyone know your whole life?'” she said.
Although the show has been off the air for several years, Alexia “always believed” it would return. “I just don’t want to take eight years. You know, I don’t want to be like fifty. I still want to, you know, I [just] want to be younger,” he explained.
Although much of season four focused on Alexia’s drama, season five was called ‘Lisa’s season.’ Speaking of this new dynamic, Alexia said, “Thank God. I mean, I don’t want to continue [Lisa] and other girls, but you know, I have the right to some happiness and, and peace.
Discuss her season five drama with Guerdy Abraira (who originally wanted to plan their wedding), Alexia shared, “We have time [this season] … Like real people and real friends, that’s what we do. He felt a certain kind of way and I was feeling a certain kind of way and we had to talk about it, and in the end, we both like each other. correct. Or, or we don’t… Time takes you where you need to be.”
Alexia also revealed that she and Todd with Lisa and Lenny in Aspen just weeks before the split.
“They’re like lovey doveys, loving each other. [I] didn’t see it coming,” said Alexia. “You know, I don’t like to use the word blind, but you know, people like to judge only one. They see, you know, even like [Todd] and I, like, they can see us one night in a place in an argument or in a group situation where we do not agree and they may not respect, but this does not mean that your marriage is over.”
Todd shared that Lenny and Lisa were “both very nice” in person. Regarding the breakup, Alexia admitted that Lenny could have “handled it better,” and she said Lisa “loved him a lot… [they have] children, and it’s hard. I think he’s really trying in his own way to keep his family together. And unfortunately, this is a bit late.
Alexia tells me that, when she sees Lenny, she doesn’t “even know if I’m going to say hello to him or not. I mean, it’s not like he’s unfriendly. It’s not like he’s very friendly.”
The star added, “I want to see him alone with a new boyfriend. That I don’t care. That would make me angry. I’m not going to lie … if I meet him alone, I’ll be able to say hello to him and maybe tell him that I this, I’m disappointed in him … I hope he’ll understand. I hope you understand.”
Alexia laughed at Lisa’s comment that she couldn’t afford diapers for her children. “Obviously, like, nobody’s going to believe that because she makes her own money and she’s a good mom, she’s not going to buy diapers,” she said. “I just think it’s a little silly.”
He also expressed his surprise that Lisa took advice from Lea, the original castmate, amid the divorce. “Apparently Lisa and Lea have a friendship and I don’t know because I’ve never seen that side of Lea. But I know [Lea] happy to be a part of our show,” said Alexia, and she then alluded to Lea’s earlier comments about the show. “I think [Lea] secretly [wants to be a part of the show] … That’s another problem I have with Housewives who are no longer on the show and then they want to like badmouth the show, they want to badmouth Real Housewives, they want to badmouth all the women who have been a part of it and think [they’re] superior.”
Alexia also represents the type of person Lisa thinks she should date. “Hot. I think he must be very good. I think now he will find someone who you know about Lisa, and not as ego-centric or narcissistic as Lenny, “he said. “I think that when he meets Lenny he is like a superstar like a plastic surgeon and he is like a husband … .”
Regarding her own relationship, Alexia explained that her “personal life” is always “more important” than her professional life, and she said that she would “step down” from the show if it affected her marriage or family. “Family and Todd [and] My children are more important to me than the show,” he said.
Alexia then spoke about her past marriage to Herman Echevarria: “I don’t like to talk about it, but it’s in my heart [previous] relationship … Herman didn’t want me to do the show and he was always like, ‘I’m going to divorce you, I’m going to divorce you.’ We ended up getting divorced or separated not because of the ironic show. So you know, sometimes it’s like that, you know you have to do what’s good for you, not what the guy tells you to do. But in my case with Todd, it’s like if I saw that the show was a big pressure and we didn’t like it and … caused problems between him and me, I would have backed out.
Alexia also spilled her thoughts on her castmates Dr. Nicole Martinwho feuded with her bestie Marysol Patton.
“I think it’s true [Nicole] it’s completely different on camera. That, I think that’s the problem… What I kind of don’t like about him is the fact that off camera, he’s like one person and on camera he’s a different person,” said Alexia. “I feel like when these girls go into the show, they like casting different, oh I’m this, this and this. They say all these kinds of things. But when they get into the group and start filming, they want to be like, oh, I’m really nice, I’m very sweet, you know, I want to be nice to everyone. And it’s not like that because I know you’re really behind the scenes.
He continued, “[Nicole] wants to be good … like, ‘I’m a doctor and I’m like smarter than all of you and you know, I just want to keep it all together and … I’m about empowering women,’ … [But in these shows] You can’t lie or lie for too long because you’ll be called on it and you know, you can’t lie to the camera.
He later shared his belief that some cast members were “afraid” to be friends with Marysol’s “independent” Alexia.
“He feels like he’s competing with my friendship with Marysol. And I don’t agree with that. And I’ve talked to some girls because I can be friends with Marysol even if Marysol doesn’t like you. Like I have that capacity,” said Alexia. But I feel like the new girls come into this season thinking, ‘Well, it’s OG. They have strong relationships and strong friends and they are against us.’ correct? Or so we told them. And I don’t like it… But sometimes I like it [the new girls] camera more than on camera because I’m like, I know how you really are. But if you call him that then you’re like…a bully.
Dealing with him and Todd are close friends with Theresa Judge and your husband Luis Ruelas, Alexia first addressed Luis’ reputation as a ‘bad guy.’ He explained, “You know, I always say there are bad people until you meet the right woman. And I think he met with Teresa and I told him. You know, some men, sometimes men are the way that…”
Todd added, “I always say, he’s not a bad guy. No, he’s a good-looking single rich guy walking around New York and New Jersey. So it’s true. He has a really bad reputation.”
Alexia then seemed to refer to Luis’ ex: “Yes. Break up with a woman. And you know what, women are bastards … they are angry.
Interestingly, Todd revealed that he avoided Teresa’s sister Joe at BravoCon 2022.
“My wife Marysol and I were at a bar, and Joe Gorga was literally 10 feet, five feet over there. And I was like, oh my God, I can’t introduce myself to this guy. He knew I was friends with his sister. I was like, can’t even say hello to him,” Todd said. “What did I do? And I was like, I’ve never met him before.
“But I felt awkward that if I approached this person, he would say something [like] ‘I know who you are, you’re friends with my sister.’ I was like, I’m just avoiding this situation because I know he can be as angry as I am,” he explained.
Teasing the current season, Alexia revealed that “a lot of friendships between the OGs, they could have taken different paths… [There are] Friendships and relationships are different and get really real. You will see different dynamics in the group.
new episode of Real Housewives of Miami Season five is streaming every Friday on Peacock.