Since she first walked into SUR in a navy blue romper, Brittany Cartwright has been a familiar presence on our TV screens. From Vanderpump Rules, which she officially joined in Season 5, to Jax & Brittany Take Kentucky and the pair’s one-season couch reaction show post-Scandoval, the constant amid the chaos that comes with reality TV has been her relationship, and eventual marriage, to VPR OG Jax Taylor. These days though, the 36-year-old is shining alone on The Valley, a VPR spinoff currently airing on Bravo, as she and a mostly new crew of 30- to 40-somethings juggle marriage, parenthood, adulting, and the still-not-so-occasional meltdown.
After years of sharing their highs and lows on screen, Cartwright and Taylor, who also stars on The Valley, filed for divorce in August following a separation earlier last year. So far on Season 2 of The Valley, we’ve seen an unsettling glimpse into the couple’s final chapter, from emotionally charged fights to Cartwright fielding rage-texts while Taylor is in rehab. “I’ve put Jax before me for so many years, and I think that I need help to figure out how to put myself first again,” she said in a confessional during Tuesday’s episode.
That’s exactly what she’s doing now. Recently, we caught up with Cartwright during a New York City press tour to promote the latest season of The Valley. In between interviews and photo ops, she gave us a peek into her day — from glam sessions to quiet moments of reflection. See a behind-the-scenes look at a day in the life of our Kentucky princess, who’s redefining resilience one step (and selfie) at a time.
The Valley airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo and streams next day on Peacock.
MONDAY — 8:13 p.m. First stop in NYC? Unwinding at the hotel bar, of course. Brittany and her Valley castmate Luke Broderick kicked things off with a toast before a jam-packed week of press appearances to discuss the show’s second season — including appearing on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live.Photo: Courtesy of Brittany Cartwright.MONDAY — 8:50 p.m. Mom’s night out in the city = rooftop views, glossy red lips, and dinner in the Meatpacking district. Brittany hit the buzzy steakhouse STK in a leather jacket and burgundy tank and shared a caesar salad, martini, sliders, & spring rolls. What more could a girl need? Photo: Courtesy of Brittany Cartwright.MONDAY — 10:30 p.m. Back to the hotel to unpack travel essentials: Iconic London’s shimmery Prep-Set-Glow setting spray, Perricone MD’s High Potency Face Finishing & Firming Moisturizer, Dior Hypnotic Poison Eau De Toilette, and Oribe Superfine Hair Spray (because if there’s one thing Southern girls know better than most, it’s the power of a good hair spray).Photo: Courtesy of Brittany Cartwright.TUESDAY — 9:41 a.m. Press day prep starts early with a hotel room glam sesh. The look of the day? A sexy brown smoky eye, thick lashes, glossy mauve lips, and a killer, classic red manicure. Photo: Courtesy of Brittany Cartwright.TUESDAY — 10:23 a.m. A gorgeous spring morning in NYC calls for a breezy babydoll dress (Brittany’s floral, off the shoulder mini is from House of CB) and a quick photoshoot outside the hotel before heading uptown for a packed day of press.TUESDAY — 11:04 a.m. A moment for final touchups and deep breaths in the NBC Studios green room at Rockefeller Center (ft. Colour Pop’s “So Juicy Plumping Glossy Lip Oil”) before a live taping of The Scene. “I’m putting myself first and getting my sparkle back, and it feels really good,” Brittany told NBC’s Sara Gore. “I feel like I’ve always been a strong person, but in my relationship I lost a lot of myself… I owe everything to my son for showing me what I deserve in life.” Photo: Courtesy of Brittany Cartwright.TUESDAY – 2:14 p.m. All gas, no brakes. Next up is an interview with Us Weekly, where Brittany opened up about co-parenting through divorce, her bond with her son Cruz, using her platform to advocate for children on the autism-spectrum, and what it’s been like watching Season 2 of The Valley play out. “I feel like I’m in a much better place now, but I’m so proud of how strong I was even then [while the season was filming],” Brittany told Us Weekly’s Christine Giordbaldi. “I still have some things that I have to work on for sure, but I feel so empowered and so strong, and I have so much support.”Photo: Courtesy of Brittany Cartwright.TUESDAY – 9:53 p.m. Final stop: Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live with castmate Luke Broderick. Brittany showed up glowing in a cherry red minidress from House of CB, a matching red lip, and the kind of confidence that comes from finally putting herself and her son first. “Cruz is doing amazing, he is thriving every single day,” she told host Andy Cohen. “He’s just the most special boy in the entire world and I’m so blessed to be his mom. He’s my favorite person in the whole wide world.”
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