The ‘Southern Charm’ matriarch has had a major change of tune when it comes to her youngest co-star.
Patricia Altschul is ready to take Kathryn Dennis under her (high society) wing.
“I think she has a lot to offer,” Patricia tells ET of her Southern Charm co-star, a woman Patricia wanted almost nothing to do with for five years. Things started to change, however, when Patricia extended an invite to Kathryn to attend a winter-themed ball, as seen in the show’s season five finale.
“I had not had any contact with Kathryn for five years, and a lot of that had to do with her behavior in the past,” Patricia notes. “Volatile, screaming, yelling, giving people the finger.”
Now, Patricia writes off Kathryn’s behavior as “drug-induced.” The 25-year-old did go public with her drug and alcohol addiction in 2016, checking into a rehab facility and getting clean that same year.
“She went to rehab, she got her life back in order, she's passed every drug test,” Patricia continues. “She has been like a different person, and I think it's just a great redemption story. She inspired me, I was actually very impressed.”
Patricia says her change of heart toward Kathryn didn’t happen “overnight,” but she did start to keep tabs on the young mother of two after her return from rehab.
“I was kind of waiting to see if it took,” she says. “And [my son, Whitney Sudler-Smith] was telling me, you know, all along about how she was a changed person, he likes her enormously. Shep [Rose] was very positive about her. And, and quite frankly, I watched what happened on the show. I saw that evolution really on the show, as well.”
Patricia and Kathryn had an unexpected conversation at that finale ball, sitting and chatting almost like old pals. While only a few minutes made it to air during the episode, Patricia says the exchange lasted upwards of 20 minutes.
“I was very impressed by the conversation we had at the finale, the ball,” she shares. “[We] talked about all kinds of things … [She’s] a likable person, besides being smart, sensitive. She's got a great sense of humor, which I don't think we ever saw before, but you have to be smart and sober to have a great sense of humor.”
Should the show be picked up for a sixth season, Patricia teases that it’s “entirely possible” viewers will get to see the 77-year-old show Kathryn the ways of sophisticated southern society, “if she had any interest in that.
“I think she has a lot to offer,” Patricia declares. “I was impressed by her. I think she's smart.”
Another factor that impacted how Patricia looked at Kathryn was her own evolving relationship with Thomas Ravenel, Kathryn’s ex and the father of her children. Patricia says she’s come to realize that Thomas might not be “the most credible source” for information.
“All the information I've ever had about Kathryn, in the past, has come from Thomas,” Patricia notes. When Thomas’ new girlfriend, Ashley Jacobs, came into the picture, Patricia started learning things about Kathryn from her, too, that made Patricia think twice. Ashley and Kathryn had multiple blowouts over the course of season five, with Ashley repeatedly attacking Kathryn’s parenting.
“The first time I ever met Ashley, she spent the night talking about Kathryn, Kathryn's mother, what the nanny said, you know how fast she talks?” Patricia recalls. “It was like an hour and a half of that. So, actually, I learned more about Kathryn from Ashley than I ever talked to her about.”
Today, Patricia says she doesn’t “know anybody on the cast that keeps up with her or him.”
“As you know, there's various allegations that are pending,” Patricia heeds, referencing a series sexual misconduct accusations that have come out against Thomas, all of which he has denied.
“Just that alone, plus the way he has allowed Ashley to treat Kathryn, has more or less turned everybody, I would say, if not against him, away from him,” she adds.
While Patricia and Thomas sit out the season five reunion, Ashley will show up during part two. Part one of the Southern Charm airs Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo. For more on the show, check out the video and links below.
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