Candiace Dillard has proved herself an entertainment success beyond the confines of the Real Housewives of Potomac. She’s not hawking wares such as hats and candles like co-stars Robyn Dixon and self-proclaimed Grande Dame Karen Huger. She has star appeal. Candiace released an album titled Deep Space in 2022. Page Six reported that she also has a supporting role on ALLBLK’s TV drama Hush.
An AMC press release described the eight-episode series as the story of a “top marriage and sex therapist, TV personality and best-selling author, who finds herself entangled in a web of lies, sex, and murder that could cost her everything.” Candiace was cast as Syleena Gibson, “a trophy wife who, despite the dangers, keeps her marriage to her high-powered attorney [husband] Terrell Gibson (Lanre Idewu) spicy by [fulfilling] his fantasies, alone and with others.”
Given the descriptions, it’s safe to assume that Candiace had to film intimage scenes as part of the gig. And though she and her RHOP costars joke about threesomes over a glass of wine, that’s not how she and husband Chris Bassett play within their marriage.
Yet, during an episode of Page Six’s Virtual Realit-Tea podcast, Candiace revealed that her successful chef and restauranteur spouse was very much supportive of her steamy scenes on Hush.
“It’s so funny. When I posted the trailer on my Instagram, I feel like I had like 500,000 cousins who were like, ‘Ooh, I’m tellin’ your man, girl!’ It was hilarious,” Candiace said.
Naturally, Candiace had briefed Chris on the details of the role beforehand. She confirmed, “Everybody’s like, ‘Oh my God, does Chris know that this is happening?’ It’s like, well, yes.”
Candiace explained, “It’s just pretend. I’m acting. Hundreds of actors simulate intimacy on TV and in film every day. It’s OK.” She continued, “Chris was very understanding. We’ve talked about, before, getting to this place because I’ve been acting for 15 years.” Candiace added, “So it was inevitable that I would get to a place where it would be time for me to, you know, portray a character who is intimate with a partner.”
Though Chris is supportive of his wife’s career, he doesn’t necessarily want to watch the content. Candiace revealed, “He definitely was like, ‘I don’t think I’m gonna be able to watch it, but I love you and support you.’ And we kind of left it there.”
The trust is solid between the couple. Candiace offered to show Chris the script, but he declined. “I did ask him and I said, ‘Did you want to read the script?’ And he said, ‘No, I’m good. I trust you and I’m good,’” Candiace explained.
The former beauty pageant queen revealed that her sexual preferences are the total opposite of her on-screen character. Candiace said, “I’ve kissed my co-stars before, I’ve laid in a bed before. But as Syleena, I have to actually simulate having relations, relations with other people, so that was a lot for me. But still, it was liberating,” she added.
Two of her RHOP co-stars have reportedly engaged in threesomes. Ashley Darby and ex-husband Michael Darby previously invited an extra partner into their bedroom. Mia Thornton and cast friend Jacqueline Blake have been teasing the issue all season, though it remains unclear whether they only shared a previous sexual partner or if Mia’s husband Gordon Thornton is somehow involved.
Candiace joked that she could always look to her cast mates for inspiration. She said, “I didn’t think about that. I actually could have gone to the Gordons and/or Jacqueline and Mia about this. But maybe for Season 2, as we’re exploring these characters further … yes, I would happily explore real-life experience with the [Thorntons] — from afar,” Candiace said.
TELL US- WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF CANDIACE’S ACTING CAREER? WILL YOU WATCH “HUSH”? ARE YOU SURPRISED BY CHRIS’S REACTION?
[Photo Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images]