Lisa Barlow on Whitney Rose Drama, if She’s the Villain

Lisa Barlow has been up since 3 a.m. — but you’d never know.

Sitting in a room at London’s Langham Hotel, “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star is glammed up and rocking an all-black look, complete with knee-high leather boots. The reason for her early morning, she tells Variety, was the fallout from the intense sixth episode of her show’s fifth season.

“I fell asleep, and then my phone kept ringing,” she recounts in her signature rasp. “I didn’t want to turn my volume off because I need my alarm to go off, and so I got up. I watched the full episode, and I was shocked.”

Appropriately titled “Mafia Wives and Bad Vibes,” tension that had been brewing between Barlow and Whitney Rose reached a fever pitch when Barlow dramatically called her private security after she was accused of starting a rumor that Rose’s new jewelry business has been reselling products from Alibaba.

“Hey Shawn, I need an investigation opened,” Barlow said in a line that immediately entered the “Housewives” hall of fame. “I’m being accused of something I did not do. I’m going to send you information, and I want to go the distance on it. The distance.”

Barlow’s and Rose’s husbands started to get involved, and the episode ended with the franchise’s famed “To Be Continued” banner, dashing the beliefs of some fans that Season 5 would flop compared to last season’s Monica Garcia/Reality von Tease storyline. Indeed, this was the episode that proved that “RHOSLC” can still bring the drama — and it all revolves around Barlow.

While in London for Hayu FanFest, Barlow chatted with Variety about that crazy episode, her relationships with Angie Katsanevas and Bronwyn Newport — and whether’s she’s become the cast villain.

Season 5 is airing right now after last season’s wild ride. What’s it like with the new cast members? And how is it to have Mary Cosby back?

I feel like we’re one of the only franchises that has the whole original cast on, so that’s interesting in itself. I love when new blood comes on, because it pushes people to different limits and boundaries, so for me I think it’s a nice mix-up. One thing that’s great about our whole group is that our relationships always shift naturally and organically, so you’ll see what we left off with last year is totally different this year. And I think you can see everybody coming into their own.

You introduced Bronwyn to the group. How did that come to be?

I thought she would be great a few seasons ago. I actually had her come to one of our events: She was there, and she looked fabulous. I just think she has strong opinions, she’s unique in style and she’s not from Utah originally, so that makes you a little more fascinating and mixes things up a little bit so you’re not in the same cultural norm. I think she’s great for the show. Watching the show, it’s been fascinating, because I didn’t have issues with her, I wasn’t going after her — I was defending her as much as I could. So it was interesting to see her hostility toward me, and how her relationships are going and who she’s more comfortable with. You know, a friend to all is a friend to none.

Have you been watching each episode live?

I watched the episode from this Wednesday in London at 3 a.m. I fell asleep, and then my phone kept ringing because so many people don’t know I’m in London, and I didn’t want to turn my volume off because I need my alarm to go off. And so I got up. I’ve been up since 3:45, and I watched the full episode and I was shocked. Because it’s like, oh my gosh, it’s one thing to know what you participated in, it’s a whole other thing to see dialogue that’s happening when you’re not there, or when you’re there and it’s right behind your back but in front of your face. So I was like, this is crazy.

What surprised you the most?

I think last night I was so frustrated that I’m being accused of something — like, I have never showed my character to be not trustworthy. I say things to people’s faces. So for me, it was crazy. When we were in Milwaukee, I told [Whitney] I’m the one that brought this [rumors of Whitney’s business drop-shipping] up with Meredith [Marks]. I kept trying to tell Whitney that the conversation we had was minimal, and we were basically defending her. I think she was so embarrassed that the news got out that her brand is basically Alibaba resold, instead of being like, “Hey, maybe I’ll try something different,” she tried to put it on me like I did something wrong. First she started with Meredith, and then it turned on me.

But I think it gets old. I think people are like, “There’s no way Lisa Barlow would do that.” Like, I’m busy. I don’t want to be contacting people, and I don’t know where you get your goods from, you know? And that person’s come out and said, “I never said it was Lisa Barlow, there’s no proof it was Lisa Barlow, she wants it to be Lisa Barlow.” So I’m like, why are you doing this?

This all goes back to Whitney calling you a villain on Nick Viall’s podcast before the start of the season.

The villain part was so stupid. It was the other thing she said — she tries to make it look like I can’t apologize, and I always have to be right. What she was referring to in that moment on the podcast that really upset me was she said I didn’t check in on her when her friend passed, and I wasn’t there for her. She said I didn’t send her flowers. None of that was true and they flashed back to it. So instead of being like, “Lisa was right, I shouldn’t have done that, I’m sorry,” she’s like, “Well, Lisa always has to be right.” And I’m like, you just don’t want to be wrong, but you want to be able to lie about me and you want me to go along with your lies. It’s crazy — it’s like the weirdest warped thinking. 

Does part of you want to just go along with the “villain” label?

I mean, I’m saying exactly what I mean. They’re getting a very direct Lisa. That’s why I was like [to Whitney]: “Prove it. What do you got? Name the people.” I’m like Sutton [Stracke from “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”], I’m like, “Name ’em, name ’em, name ’em.” But the person came out and said it was not me, and she wants to cling to this. She’s still saying, “I really in my heart feel like it’s Lisa.” Why would I do that?

And you and Angie aren’t getting along — what do you think the root of that issue is?

I was her friend. When has she been my friend? I went to her with everything. I defended her husband, her marriage, her business, her taxes, I defended everything, and she’s constantly looking for a problem. The problem with Angie is she can dish, she can say the worst things to anybody, but if you respond to her and defend yourself, then all of a sudden that’s all she remembers, and you wronged her. I haven’t done anything to Angie.

I attacked Meredith last year in Bermuda for Angie. I went so hard. Meredith and I had apologized to each other. I had done things to her, she had done things to me, we were on an equal playing field and a positive direction. But I took us 10 steps backwards because I was defending Angie with only half the story.

How did you and Meredith get on good terms again, and why was that important to you?

After the reunion last year, I called Meredith. I just sat in my car for like two hours and I was like, “We have to talk through this,” because I was hurt. I was like, “Do you see how I was being so attentive to you and a great friend to you? I almost got beat up on a van for you with Jen [Shah].” And we talked through everything. Meredith was like, “OK, and this is how I feel, and this is what hurt me, and this is what I need from you.” And I was like, “Done, you’ve got it.” And I feel like we’ve kept our word. She’s been a great friend to me, and I’m being the best friend I can be to her.

Who are you closest with and least close to as of right now? What can you tease about the rest of the season?

I feel like I’m not in the worst position. I feel like I’m owed apologies; I feel like I’ve been wronged. I’m sick of being a punching bag, which is why I’m like, I don’t care anymore. I feel like I’m good with Heather [Gay], Meredith and Mary. Mary and I can be really direct with each other. I think Mary holds me responsible for what other people said from Season 1, and I think she’s getting past that. But I mean, Britani [Bateman] I’m fine with, Bronwyn I’m in a fine-ish position with. I don’t care if anyone likes me, I think I’ve proven that. I’ve been on an island more than once — like, every single season.

You’re here with some other cast members — Jessel Taank, Ashley Darby, Sutton — and you’ve posted some crossover pics on your Instagram lately. Who are your favorite girls from other casts, and what has it been like bonding with them?

Sutton is amazing, like we’re basically finishing each other’s sentences. She ordered a grapefruit juice and I ordered a grapefruit juice and I’m like, you like grapefruit juice too? It’s kind of crazy.

I love Kathy Hilton; I love Kyle Richards. I think they are quintessential Beverly Hills — iconic, beautiful people, and I love their family. The new girls on “New York,” like Jenna [Lyons], Erin [Lichy], Jessel’s fabulous. I love Rebecca Minkoff. I think she’s taking some heat for being Jewish but then following Scientology, but how is that different from me? Like, I’m Jewish by heritage, and I’m Mormon. You can have more than one thing, and I think people are being ridiculous with her on that.

You’re the Sundance Queen, and Sundance could leave Park City in 2027 – do you think Salt Lake City should host it?

I think the only place that makes sense for it to expand from Park City is Salt Lake. I have been going to the Sundance Film Festival since I was in college, and it started with me being the Sundance party girl and staying out until 5 a.m. and then doing it again the next night. Sundance used to be the most insane place for new film, new friends, businesses.

When we launched our brand Vida Tequila in 2007, we did this insane lounge. I can’t tell you everyone we had perform, because some of them might be going to jail — you can figure out who performed for us. But it was, like, iconic and amazing. And then it scaled back, and I think right before COVID we were back to the heyday. I feel like whoever made the movie choices for last year for Sundance should never have that role again. I was all set up to do Bon Jovi’s documentary party, and then they’re like, “Oh, they’re not coming because Sundance rejected it.” What? Crazy.

This interview has been edited and condensed.