Candiace Dillard teases ‘pivotal’ talk with Ashley Darby that mended their friendship after ‘RHOP’ brawl
|Candiace Dillard and Ashley Darby aren’t letting other people’s drama impede a future friendship.
Despite an explosive off-camera brawl that broke out between their pals amid production for Season 8 of “The Real Housewives of Potomac,” Dillard, 36, and Darby, 35, chose not to halt any progress made to repair their once-fractured dynamic.
“The fight happened at the very end of filming,” the “Drive Back” singer tells Page Six in an exclusive interview.
“And we actually had a really pivotal and important conversation about that at the finale. It gave me a lot of respect for Ashley.”
Dillard says that Darby’s contrite demeanor over the situation reminded her that she was raised by a “good woman” — her mother, Sheila, whom Dillard is a big fan of.
“It was like, ‘OK, Sheila raised you. She raised you right,’” the former pageant queen raves over Darby’s mom. “I love Sheila.”
Dillard and Darby, for their part, have clashed over a myriad of issues. Arguably inciting the most ire among the pair, however, was the mom of two’s defense of Dillard’s nemesis and “RHOP” alum Monique Samuels in 2020’s Season 5.
“We have both had a lot of growth over the years,” the “Insecure” singer says of her evolved relationship with Darby.
“There is a mutual respect there that you kind of see us go through and talk through [this upcoming season].”
Toward the end of filming this summer, TMZ released video footage that showed the main “RHOP” cast breaking up a fight between Dillard, Dr. Wendy Osefo’s pal Keiana Stewart and Darby’s friend Deborah Williams.
The incident took place in July after filming wrapped at Zebbie’s Garden in Washington, D.C. The group had been celebrating the launch of Darby and co-star Gizelle Bryant’s GnA activewear line.