Candiace Dillard Bassett, Chooses Motherhood Over Drama

Reality television didn’t create the star that is Candiace Dillard Bassett, but the Real Housewives franchise exposed her brilliance to a worldwide audience. In 2016 Bravo introduced the RHOP highlighting African American women from one of the most affluent zip codes in the country. Candiace Dillard Bassett, a former beauty pageant queen presented a very different example for young Black women on reality television. Initially the Potomac franchise faltered, as audiences weren’t used to seeing Black folks with “old money” and family roots grounded in social and political excellence. The show took a few seasons off then resurfaced with a tighter cast and gained a huge fanbase. The definitive Black American Princess, Candiace joined the show with a very interactive mother, a very smart mouth and a devoted if somewhat overwhelmed new husband. The RHOP debut caught a very young Candiace in the throes of a personal transition from girlhood to womanhood. Over eight seasons fans witnessed Candiace shift her allegiance from under her mother’s thumb to her husband as the couple fought for financial and emotional independence. With a few bumps along their marital journey, the show chronicled Candiace and Chris become a stronger unit. Fans of the slightly dramatic but very fashionable and witty star, learned her personality was a combination of old school traditional family values mixed with a new school woman, determined to carve out a career on her own terms. During the toxic season finale of season 8, Candiace revealed that after a fairly short IVF journey, she and Chris were expecting. The news brought a positive ending to the tumultuous season and solidified the fact that Candiace Dillard Bassett is the girl destined to have it all..

“I plan to take things day by day, but I see successful women navigating their careers with motherhood and I believe I can do that. I truly believe I can have it all,” she says.“