Ever since the latest season of Netflix’s Selling Sunset hit our screens last Friday, Twitter has been flooded with viewers’ divided opinions on all the drama that unfolded.
This season, which is the fifth in the explosive Netflix series centered on the Oppenheim Group, sees loads more tensions unraveling between the different agents. (Warning: Spoilers for Season 5 ahead!)
While the show’s leading divisive character, Christine Quinn, has mainly been the one sparking a mixed reaction online, another of the central figures, Chrishell Stause, has also attracted a fair amount of negative attention since Season 5 aired.
Several Twitter users have branded Chrishell “shady” and “fake nice” since watching the show, suggesting that her smiley persona is all an act. One viral tweet even labeled her as the show’s “actual villain” as opposed to Christine — with whom Chrishell has a yearslong rivalry.
#SellingSunset #SellingSunset5 The show’s villain. The actual villain.
For some quick context, the feud between the two kicked off in the Season 1 finale, when Christine claimed Chrishell was fake for appearing to question the authenticity of another one of their costars’ relationships.
Among the many ups and downs between the castmates, the lowest point came when Christine began spreading unverified information about Chrishell in the press, at the time that she was going through a very difficult divorce from Justin Hartley.
“I just learned Christine is giving press ‘information’ about my divorce. Let me be VERY clear. She knows absolutely nothing about the situation and is obviously desperate to gain attention by doing so. Anything from her is either a complete lie or total conjecture on her part,” Chrishell tweeted at the time.
I just learned Christine is giving press “information” about my divorce. Let me be VERY clear. She knows absolutely nothing about the situation and is obviously desperate to gain attention by doing so. Anything from her is either a complete lie or total conjecture on her part.
She continued, “It’s so frustrating and unfortunate that someone would use someone’s personal painful situation to get press for themselves. I can’t say I am surprised, but please check the source. She has absolutely zero knowledge of the marriage we had.”
It’s so frustrating and unfortunate that someone would use someone’s personal painful situation to get press for themselves. I can’t say I am surprised, but please check the source. She has absolutely zero knowledge of the marriage we had.
What’s more, Chrishell later revealed that she almost sued Christine over the debacle. “She tried to plant a false story when I was going through my divorce and I had to have both sides confirm that it wasn't true and then threaten legal action,” she told Vulture. “And this was right after my mom died. It was a lot on my plate and kicking someone while they're down and trying to spread a rumor that I was hooking up with someone. Both parties knew that is not what happened.”
It’s also important to note that Christine has clashed with virtually all of the real estate agents at the Oppenheim group, with many accusing her of spreading false information about them to paint them in a bad light. In fact, Season 4 ended with a bang when a bunch of the women — including not just Chrishell, but also Emma Hernan, Heather Rae El Moussa, and Mary Fitzgerald — called Christine out for her apparent lies.
And so, this season, when Christine returned to working in the office after being absent on maternity leave throughout Season 4, Chrishell was hardly friendly toward her — which several viewers quickly picked up on.
Visibly unhappy with Christine’s snarky comments and lack of accountability for her behavior, Chrishell tried to convince their boss Jason Oppenheim — whom she was dating at the time — to fire her, which some viewers raised eyebrows at.
“Chrishell seriously suggesting Jason should fire Christine is wild. How do people not have any shame when cameras are on them 24/7??” read one tweet.
Chrishell seriously suggesting Jason should fire Christine is wild. How do people not have any shame when cameras are on them 24/7?? #SellingSunset
Another moment that fans highlighted was when Chrishell questioned the real estate skills of Christine’s newfound friend and fellow agent Chelsea Lazkani, who ended up joining the brokerage later in the season.
“I met this agent — actually I was at a broker’s event,” Christine tells the others when suggesting that Chelsea should be hired. “She was really really cool. … I thought it would be fun to just have her come by the broker’s open. She can help me find a client because she promised she knows everyone.”
After Christine asks newly promoted manager Mary if she’ll meet Chelsea and see if she’d be a good fit for the Oppenheim brokerage, Chrishell asks, “Does she actually sell real estate? That’s all we care about.”
Christine replies, “She was selling real estate for about six years, and then she had two babies so she took a year off, and now she’s trying to get back into it. So, like, you don’t need to argue with me.”
Some viewers watching the awkward exchange called Chrishell’s comment “shady” and later praised Chelsea for confronting her about the remark head-on.
Christine: I want you all to meet my agent friend. Chrishell: does she really sell Christine: 6 years you don’t need to argue with me about Everyone looks at Christine like she’s the bad guy… like bitch she said she’s an agent from the jump. Chrishell was being shady af
“Does she really sell real estate?” …like come on Chrishell that was a shady ass question. Christine had every right to look at her crazy. #SellingSunset
Meanwhile, other Selling Sunset viewers have labeled Chrishell a “bully” and a “mean girl,” even accusing her of constantly playing “the victim.”
Chrishell is the worst kind of evil cause shes fake nice, manipulative, and plays victim to everything https://t.co/4zafDosHcJ
“I’m watching selling sunset new season 5 and now I’m starting to think that Chrishell became the mean girl. Like everyone is just a kiss ass to her and teams up to bully Christine,” one person wrote.
I’m watching selling sunset new season 5 and now I’m starting to think that Chrishell became the mean girl. Like everyone is just a kiss ass to her and teams up to bully Christine.
“it’s mad how chrishell has gone from victim to a low-key bully,” another tweeted.
it’s mad how chrishell has gone from victim to a low-key bully #SellingSunset
And as the conversation escalated over the weekend, Chrishell ended up jumping online herself on Monday to respond to all the claims.
“I just wanted to address something real quick,” she began in a series of videos shared on her Instagram stories. “Every single season I see this common thing every time that I’m actually not really nice, I’m fake nice, and that I’m actually a bully.”
“Here's the thing. To all the nice girls out there, listen, you try and be nice, you try and do the right thing. I've worked in this business [for] a long time. I have kept so many friendships. I try and always be professional,” she said.
“At the end of the day you don’t always have to be nice if somebody keeps pushing you and does not respect your boundaries — and that is OK,” she added.
In line with Chrishell’s word of advice, a bunch of viewers have argued that the reality star is well within her rights to be shady toward Christine considering their explosive past.
“Whats with this ‘Chrishell’s the real villain’ narrative? Are we watching the same show? When you stand up to a bully, people expect you to do it with grace and playing nice. no m’am, f**k that noise,” one person wrote.
Whats with this ‘Chrishell’s the real villain’ narrative? Are we watching the same show? When you stand up to a bully, people expect you to do it with grace and playing nice. no m’am, f**k that noise #SellingSunset
“The ‘Chrishell is JUST as bad as Christine because she once made a shady comment towards Christine’ takes are absolutely killing me. The bar for ‘mean girl’ is exceptionally low for Chrishell it seems,” another pointed out.
The “Chrishell is JUST as bad as Christine because she once made a shady comment towards Christine” takes are absolutely killing me. The bar for “mean girl” is exceptionally low for Chrishell it seems #SellingSunset