The ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ star gets candid with ET about starting over at 50, which means dating for the first time in a decade.
Cynthia Bailey is starting over at 50.
“I feel like I’m 50, I feel like I’m fabulous [and] I feel like I can just do whatever I want to do,” the Real Housewives of Atlanta star shares with ET. “I’m being super selfish and greedy with Cynthia for the first time in a long time.”
The reality star finalized her divorce from her husband of seven years, Peter Thomas, earlier this year, so season 10 of RHOA was the first season she filmed single.
“I wanted to stay single for a year,” she shares. “I probably have about four more months to go … I don't want to be exclusive with anyone right now, however if it happens, it happens. But for now, you know, I'm just kind of dating a couple guys.”
“I just got divorced!” she adds. “I really wanted to play the field a little bit … I’m dating, and dating implies, like more than one person. I’m seeing [a] nice, handsome gentleman … in Atlanta. He definitely has home court advantage, ‘cause that’s where I live. So, I get to see him a lot. And I’m also dating someone here [in Los Angeles].”
The two men know about each other -- and know that they’re potentially not the only competition for Cynthia’s affection. The model is also on the elite dating app Raya, an invite-only site frequented by celebrities.
“I've been on a few dates [through the app],” she admits. “Actually, Andy [Cohen] recommended that I go on Raya, and it's really good, 'cause I don't really -- again, [I’m] 50 -- I don't really go to clubs, so where do I meet guys?”
Apps aren’t the only change to dating since Cynthia was last single 10 years ago. There’s a whole new, technology-filled world to navigate.
“Nobody calls each other anymore!” Cynthia notes. “It’s all texting, and then there’s, like, rules to texting.”
The single mom confesses to being a “thirsty texter” who will respond right away -- something her 18-year-old daughter, Noelle Robinson, has warned her against. Noelle also had to break down emojis' secret meanings for her mom.
“Some of those emojis mean sexual things!” she blurts, recalling that she learned about the eggplant emoji’s NSFW translation “the hard way, no pun intended.”
Cynthia says it’s been interesting reentering the world of dating just as Noelle enters it for the first time. The mother-daughter duo is really learning how to date together.
“Noelle's been, actually, supportive and very helpful,” Cynthia says. “I run things by her. Like, I don't think about what guys think about, or I don't know what's cool.”
Also supportive is Cynthia’s ex-husband, who is still very much in her life. In fact, she calls Peter her “best friend” and still regularly checks in with him to share good -- and bad -- life updates.
“I still kinda depend on him,” she admits. “Like, I want to share with him still. Well, not everything. Don't want to share everything with him anymore.”
“We were friends before we were boyfriend and girlfriend, friends before we were husband and wife,” she continues. “He's someone that has always had my back and someone I still trust very much. He has a great relationship with Noelle, he's still very much in her life, they have their own relationship. I'm still very close to his kids. You know, new grandbabies, who -- technically -- they're still my grandbabies. We were still together when they were born … just because we're not together any longer doesn't mean there isn't still love there.”
Cynthia teases some “unfinished business” between the pair will play out on season 10 of Real Housewives, but she’s adamant that they are not getting back together -- even though Peter is seen in the season trailer saying, “Cynthia and I will get back together.”
“I was like, ‘Uh, excuse me?!’” Cynthia recalls. “I don't think so ... I was pretty surprised when he said that. Unless he knows something I don't know, we're done … I didn't wake up overnight and decide to get a divorce. I thought about it for a long time and we're, we're done.”
Stay tuned to The Real Housewives of Atlanta every Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo to watch Cynthia’s new single life play out onscreen.