Although it is often NeNe Leakes who makes her "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" co-stars cry, the reality TV star had an emotional breakdown during the reunion special of Bravo's hit reality show when she looked back to her painful relationship with her mother.
The 47-year-old reality star and Broadway actress had to be escorted out of the set during filming as she sobbed uncontrollably when the reunion special focused on her past arguments with her co-stars and delved into her own personal issues.
Leakes was on a defensive mode when host Andy Cohen called a therapist named Dr. Jeff on the set to talk about the past conflicts between the girls. She was not pleased with the way the discussion was going, and even accused the doctor that he was being unfair and he was making her look like a victim.
Then the Broadway performer continued to say that she never wanted to be the victim since she is a strong woman even if her mother did not raise her and her father never recognized her when she was growing up.
"I have been lied to, I have been cheated on, I have been in an abusive relationship, but everyone else gets to be like 'I have been bullied, my mother was never there for me.' Everybody had all these issues that caused them to feel this way whenever I was in the room, but I was never that person that ever had any kind of issue or any kind of anything, I did not like that," Leakes said.
The episode immediately went on a downward spiral from there. As Dr. Jeff assured her that she is a strong woman, and he wanted her to have the chance to let her co-stars know what she had been through to understand her better, Leakes' emotions took hold of her and she continued to sob while the women bickered around her.
Then her friend-turned-enemy Cynthia Bailey started to offer soothing words for her, saying that she was very proud of her because she managed to make it through without the guidance of her mother.
"I cannot imagine having to make some of the choices that you have made, but look at you, you are so blessed, you are so talented and you have made it," Bailey said.
As Leakes continued to release all her pent-up emotions, all the other housewives offered comforting phrases for her, and even led her out of the studio when things got too emotional for her.
The third part of the reunion episode ended with a group hug between all the cast members of the show, despite their constant arguments all throughout the show's seventh season.
Will the unity among the girls last when "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" returns for season 8?
