Jenn Pedranti is weighing in on Vicki Gunvalson’s romance with Michael Smith, and the yoga instructor isn’t holding back on what she sees as the relationship’s rougher edges.
Pedranti, 49, spoke’s “Virtual Reali-Tea” about her “RHOC” co-star’s four-year partnership with Smith, 64, revealing she was “surprised” to learn Smith had purchased an engagement ring but attached strings to the proposal. According to Pedranti, Smith allegedly told Gunvalson he would not propose until she had been a “good girl” for 90 consecutive days — a condition Gunvalson has dismissed as a joke.
“One thing I know about Vicki is she’s a girl, and she has feelings, and you love your man,” Pedranti explained during the interview. “Any girl would be like, ‘He’s sitting on the ring, why do I not have it?'”
The comment about performing for affection struck a particular nerve with Pedranti, who is herself engaged to Ryan Boyajian. She said if she were in Gunvalson’s position, she would grow so “frustrated” that she would abandon trying to “perform” in the relationship altogether.
“That’s got to be hard for Vicki,” she added.
Gunvalson and Smith have been dating since 2022 and divide their time between homes in La Quinta, California, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The “OG of the OC” — who departed “The Real Housewives of Orange County” in 2020 before rejoining for the milestone 20th season this year — has publicly painted a far rosier picture of their bond.
“Four years into our relationship, Mike fills my emotional love tank,” Gunvalson said in the Season 20 premiere. “Like, I know when I’m with him, I feel empowered. I feel good. He accepts me. I’m a lot to accept.”
That warmth does not appear to extend to how Gunvalson treats newer cast members, however. Pedranti — who joined the Bravo franchise in 2023 — found herself immediately on the receiving end of Gunvalson’s skepticism despite Pedranti’s multi-season tenure by the time the veteran returned.
The yoga instructor said she found it “interesting” that while their professional obligation is to “open up” and “share” their lives, Gunvalson drew firm boundaries around her own disclosures.
“Vicki will tell you right off, ‘I’m not talking about this, I’m not talking about this, I don’t want to talk about this,'” Pedranti said. “So, if it comes up, she gets frustrated.”
That guardedness has created a complicated dynamic between the two women, who got off to what Pedranti described as a “rocky start.” Yet the newer cast member acknowledged there remains a “nurturing” side to Gunvalson that keeps her feelings about their friendship in flux.
“It’s so funny with Vicki,” Pedranti shared. “On one hand, she can say the craziest, rudest things, but on the other hand, you love her.”
The tension between Pedranti’s sympathy for Gunvalson’s romantic situation and her frustration with her co-star’s on-camera behavior captures the fractured alliances that have defined the 20th season. While Pedranti clearly sees the “good girl” comment as demeaning — noting it “can’t feel good” for Gunvalson to hear from the man she loves — she also recognizes the vulnerability beneath her co-star’s tough exterior.
Gunvalson’s return to the franchise after a four-year absence has reinvigorated the series with the combative energy that made her a reality television fixture, though her romantic storyline with Smith has provided some of the season’s more tender moments alongside the conflict.
“The Real Housewives of Orange County” airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.