"We never actually hated each other": The Real Housewives of Orange County star Katie on her relationship with Tamra

Katie Ginella is clearing the air about her relationship with Tamra Judge, and she’s doing it most simply and honestly. 

While fans of The Real Housewives of Orange County often assumed the two women didn’t get along, Katie says that it was never the real story. 

Speaking to Us Weekly on November 6 while hosting a RHOC reunion watch party, Katie said she and Tamra never had real hate between them. 

Over the years they had tiny disagreements but she said that no one ever led to a serious fight. 

When Katie was asked about their time on the show, she said that regardless of not being best friends, the two were always respectful to each other. 

Katie, who is 41, confessed that her friendship with Jennifer Pedranti sometimes made things awkward between her and Tamra due to the tension between Tamra and Jennifer in the previous season. 

Sometimes Katie felt like she was in the middle, which might have been a barrier to getting closer to Tamra during the filming. 

But things have changed; Katie and Tamra are now talking every day and have formed a strong bond that Katie did not anticipate. 

Katie feels thankful for this new phase in her relationship with Tamra and says that the 

Katie sees Tamra as a hard character, but at the same time, she has a very soft side, which actually goes unnoticed by the audience most of the time. 

She stated that sometimes Tamra is very direct and loud, which makes her appear hard, but privately, she is very friendly and a good supporter. 

According to Katie, the two developed a good rapport after they dropped the “show tension” and became more open with each other. 

For Katie, this friendship is one of the major benefits of her participation in this season, and she wishes the audience would realise that the conflicts between them in the past were never so dramatic as they appeared.

Katie Ginella reflects on her RHOC journey and how her friendships shifted

When Katie looked back on her time filming season 18, she admitted she didn’t always understand the dynamic between the cast members. 

She joined the show with a strong friendship with Jennifer Pedranti, and that relationship shaped many of her early moments on camera. 

Katie said that because Jennifer and Tamra had their own history of conflict, she felt the need to pick a side sometimes. 

She added that she now realizes it made her miss out on a chance to get closer to Tamra sooner.

Katie also spoke about how filming reality TV can make small issues feel bigger than they are. 

She said simple moments can be turned into drama because emotions are high, schedules are tight, and everyone wants to be understood. 

Once the cameras stopped, Katie felt she could breathe, think clearly, and talk to people without pressure. 

That’s when her bond with Tamra grew. 

The two started checking in on each other, sharing personal stories, and forming a real connection. 

Katie said those everyday conversations helped her see that Tamra is more caring than many viewers believe.

She also noted that the cast has many layers that fans will continue to see as the reunion airs. 

Katie called Tamra a “really nice friend” and said she feels lucky that things changed between them. 

She believes viewers should know that not all tension is as deep as it appears and that friendships on the show can shift fast once everyone talks openly. 

Katie also said she hopes the next season shows more positive moments between the cast, including the new friendships forming behind the scenes.

Stay tuned for more updates.