“Bachelor in Paradise” star Corinne Olympios has ducked out of the public eye in recent months, but she’s ready to return in a major way — with two new TV projects she says she’s in talks to do.
“I’m excited to be reemerging,” the reality star told TheWrap on Thursday weeks after the scandal surrounding a sexual encounter with fellow contestant DeMario Jackson that led to a brief production shutdown.
“Anything like that that happens to someone, I could only hope that you would grow as a person and learn a lot about yourself,” Olympios said at the U.S. launch party for fashion brand Showpo at NeueHouse in Los Angeles. “And I did.”
The “Bachelor” Season 21 alum said she’s negotiating to star in a reality TV series as well as a scripted project involving one of her “favorite producers.” She declined to offer any more detail about either one.
Olympios, who said she’s undergone “a lot of therapy” since the scandal broke, will appear on Tuesday’s episode of “Bachelor in Paradise” to chat with host Chris Harrison about her side of the story.
“I just thought the media was trying to paint me in a certain way, and everyone thought they knew what happened,” she said on Thursday. “It’s going to be really great being able to tell my side of things through my eyes.”
Olympios said Harrison has “just always been a really good friend of mine,” although she pointed out that her relationship with the franchise’s fans has been more turbulent.
“It’s been mix-and-match from fans, but I’m really thankful for everyone that did support me,” she said.
“Bachelor in Paradise” airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
'Bachelor' and 'Bachelorette' Villains Ranked From Bad to Worst (Photos)
As the end of "The Bachelor" Season 21 nears, let's take a look back at the long-running ABC reality show's infamous troublemakers. Here is our ranking of both "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette" villains, from bad to worst:
ABC
Nick Viall, "The Bachelorette," Season 10, Season 11; "The Bachelor," Season 21
This season's current bachelor did his time as a bad boy in two past seasons of "The Bachelorette." He isolated himself from all other contestants and also made a surprise, unwelcomed appearance on a season in which he wasn't even cast.
ABC
Tierra LiCausi, "The Bachelor," Season 17
From several meltdowns to a hospital trip, LiCausi (left) fit the bill of nemesis perfectly, complete with her own evil laughter.
ABC
Rozlyn Papa, "The Bachelor," Season 14
Not a traditional "Bachelor" villain, Papa was booted off the show for allegedly having an affair with one of the producers.
Olivia’s mouth, toes and aggression left viewers both cringing and laughing. Her transition from fan favorite to villain was rapid, and her legacy on the internet will remain for years to come. (And if you don't know what we're talking about, look up the now infamous meme.)
ABC
Michelle Money, "The Bachelor," Season 11
Michelle was aggressive with both pursuing her season's Bachelor and attacking fellow contestants. Money’s rivalry and ultimate confrontation with nemesis AshLee Frazier will go down in the show's history as one of the most heated.
Chad’s obsession with working out and threatening fellow contestants made him a foe to remember. While many disliked him for his brash nature, his insults were wittier than most villains before him.
ABC
Corrine Olympios, "The Bachelor," Season 21
In the short span of the last two months, Corinne has established her legacy as one of the most entertaining villains in "Bachelor" history. From her dependence on her nanny Raquel, to napping through several events, fans were both relieved and sad to see her ousted toward the end of the 2017 season.
ABC
Kelsey Poe, "The Bachelor," Season 19
She used her story of being a widow to garner sympathy and screen time, and openly admitted to manipulating her season's Bachelor with her husband’s death. She is also remembered for having a panic attack before a rose ceremony, and then immediately joking about how host Chris Harrison couldn’t eliminate her.
ABC
Bentley Williams, "The Bachelorette," Season 7
This contestant was dubbed one of Chris Harrison’s least favorite suitors of all time. Williams purposely set out to make his Bachelorette cry and faked many of his interactions with her.
ABC
Courtney Robertson, "The Bachelor," Season 16
With her own book “I Didn’t Come Here To Make Friends,” Robertson clearly prides herself on achieving supervillain status. Mocking other contestants, lying to the Bachelor and sabotaging dates, Robertson cemented herself as one of the most hated of the entire series.
ABC
Juan Pablo Galavis, "The Bachelorette," Season 9; "The Bachelor," Season 18
Between making crude comments to his contestants, to being openly homophobic, Galavis tops this list of ultimate villains from the reality series.
Here are the baddies who have kept viewers hooked over the years
As the end of "The Bachelor" Season 21 nears, let's take a look back at the long-running ABC reality show's infamous troublemakers. Here is our ranking of both "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette" villains, from bad to worst: