While speaking at the People Inc. Black Affinity Group’s Legacy Chat series in New York City on May 7, the actress and reality star, 59, reflected on her time on the Bravo series and admitted that, despite the opportunities the show brought her, she eventually realized it was time to walk away<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cFirst of all, when I joined that show,\u201d Beauvais, 59, tells moderator Kareema Bee with a laugh, \u201cI mean, obviously I knew the show and I had friends on the show, and I knew it was popular. I had no idea that me being announced was going to go, like, crazy viral.\u201d<\/p>\n A friend texted her to say she was trending online \u2014 but Beauvais, who was the first Black cast member to join RHOBH<\/a>, said she was completely unaware of the frenzy at the time.<\/p>\n \u201cA friend of mine, Natalie, texted me and she\u2019s like, \u2018You\u2019re trending on Twitter,\u2019 \u201d she recalls. \u201cAnd I was like, \u2018Why? I\u2019m making pork chops for the boys.\u2019 I didn\u2019t understand what was happening.\u201d<\/p>\n Garcelle Beauvais with Dorit Kemsley, Erika Jayne, Sutton Stracke, and Kyle Richards While Beauvais said joining the tenth season of RHOBH \u201cchanged\u201d her life and introduced her to a wider audience, she explains that her \u201cspirit\u201d eventually told her it was time to move on.<\/p>\n \u201cIt gave me a new audience that I didn\u2019t have before,\u201d she says. \u201cIt gave me a different, in terms of brand recognition and all that, but knowing when to leave, my spirit was not \u2026 My spirit was no longer there. I couldn\u2019t do it anymore. I just couldn\u2019t do it.\u201d<\/p>\n The former Housewife adds that the turning point came while filming the reunion.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I sat on that reunion stage and looked around, I felt like I didn\u2019t have any friends,\u201d Beauvais admits. \u201cAnd if the show is based on friendships, I didn\u2019t have any friends on that show anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd so it just didn\u2019t feel right for me and my spirit just didn\u2019t feel like that\u2019s where I needed to be,\u201d she continues.<\/p>\n Elsewhere in the conversation, Beauvais offered advice to women who may feel stuck in unhealthy environments \u2014 whether professionally or personally \u2014 and encouraged them to prioritize themselves.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was hard because, again, I\u2019m an immigrant. You don\u2019t leave jobs,\u201d says the Haitian American actress. \u201cYou don\u2019t leave jobs that are paying you, right? So that wasn\u2019t an easy decision.\u201d<\/p>\n Still, Beauvais said choosing herself ultimately mattered more.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce again, I had to choose me,\u201d she explains. \u201cI chose me in the marriage when I walked away. I chose me here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou gotta do like the movie and get out,\u201d she jokes. \u201cBecause life is too short. This is our one time. There\u2019s no do-overs. This is not a rehearsal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProtect it,\u201d Beauvais continues. \u201cKeep the joys that you wanna keep. Take out the negativity that you don\u2019t want in your life.\u201d<\/p>\n Though she clarified she isn\u2019t encouraging people to quit their jobs without a plan, Beauvais said she hopes women feel empowered to walk away from situations that no longer serve them.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have to take it anymore,\u201d the Survival of the Thickest actress says. \u201cEspecially women \u2014 we\u2019re independent, we make our own money \u2026 we can walk away.\u201d<\/p>\n Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter<\/a> to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I always feel like God will provide if you take that leap of faith,\u201d she notes.<\/p>\n![\"Garcelle](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/8f8a5d9026a75bd836cdfc931844131b.jpeg\"\/)
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Credit: Casey Durkin\/Bravo via Getty<\/p>\n