Some say if Bridgerton and The Bachelorette had a baby, it’d be USA’s newest reality dating show:The Courtship. Immersed with Regency-era ball gowns and tuxedos, this is no typical dating show. The Courtship suitors are fighting for the heart of one very special lady: Nicole Rémy!
BGN had the opportunity to get the inside scoop with Nicole, where she revealed some touching moments and surprises she learned along the way in The Courtship.
Our audience has been enchanted with you. It’s so beautiful to watch a beautiful Black queen on her journey to find her king while calling all the shots!
Yes, it’s empowering because, ultimately, I should be the person who makes the decisions in my dating life since it affects me so much. My mind was kind of all over the place. Sometimes I wonder, “What if I had done something differently?” But I have to remind myself that it felt right at the time. I should be confident and secure with knowing that, but it’s interesting to watch unfold.
One of the things that I thought was special for you on the show, that we don’t always get to see on shows like The Bachelorette, was that your family goes through this journey with you. What was it like having your family by your side?
It was a beautiful experience! To think that my family and I had uninterrupted time together–I haven’t had that sense in a long time. I can’t remember the last time the five of us had that time together without significant others or any distractions.
I will admit, though, at times, it was very awkward to have my parents there as I’m finding love and kissing guys! There were times that I didn’t want to have these conversations in front of my parents.
However, one thing that made me feel good about it was when my mom, my dad, and I had a conversation. They said, “We’re seeing you more as an adult and less like the baby of the family as this process goes along. So, we want you to feel confident in the decisions you make. We support you.” That was special to me.
Dating has become such a challenge nowadays. What was one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced on The Courtship?
I think one of the biggest challenges was dating multiple people at once. I’m not gonna lie. I didn’t even learn the guys’ first names until episode four. Half the time, I was like, ‘Can I get flashcards?’ [Laughs]
That was important because I really wanted to get to know these guys and give them a fair chance. It was also difficult having feelings for multiple people, trying to listen to my heart, and deciding if what I was feeling was real or if it was just because I’m in this magical place?
That must have been so mind-boggling because you’re in this lavish, luxurious castle with glamorous dresses, and the men are dressed to the nines! Then reality hits, and it’s easy to be like: ‘Wait, can we keep this going?’ [Laughs] As your life returned to normal, how was the transition for you?
I was used to having my hair and makeup done every day and wearing a ball gown. I work from home as a software engineer. I was used to rolling out of bed in my pajamas and would just start working, so this is a very different life than I typically live.
One thing that’s funny was I never got to see the guys in normal clothes. I remember thinking gosh, what do they look like normally? What’s their normal fashion? This makes up a big part of dating somebody — how they present themselves.
Meanwhile, these guys had their hair done every day and always looked their best [laughs]. I wondered, “How do they look when they’re distressed or having a down day?” I want to see all the different sides of that person and get a complete picture of what life could look like with them.
What’s one of the first things people should consider when they’re dating or exploring new relationships?
Something important to consider is how they fit in with your family, and I was fortunate enough to have that experience. Obviously, I typically don’t introduce people to my family, especially not right at the start. I introduce them once I feel like they’d make a good fit but having them there and having their insight was everything to me.
My parents have been married for over 35 years, and the love they share with each other is so beautiful and so pure. It was amazing to have that as an example of what I want in life as I’m finding my person. They kept me honest and on my toes, but they always respected me in my journey, so I’m grateful for that.
That’s interesting because I wondered if there was ever a moment mom just pulled you aside and was like, “Okay, lookie here!”
[Laughs] That was actually my brother! He was the one that would give it to me the straightest out of anybody there, to be honest. I was like, wow, I never knew that about him! So, I’ve enjoyed having all of them on the show with me, but specifically my brother, because there were times when I was like, I gotta talk to you more often!Oh my gosh, I love that! Now, I know you can’t give away too much about the finale, but what’s the message you want viewers to take away from your journey?
My hope is that people will take away how vulnerable and open we all were in this process. This is a very untraditional process layered on top of the fact that we were in a different country, eating food we don’t typically eat, and wearing things we typically don’t wear–the whole thing is bizarre! But I hope my vulnerability inspires other people to feel more confident and vulnerable in their own relationships and take control of their own destinies.
Nicole, I’m so glad to hear what an experience this was for you! Thank you so much for sharing these moments with BGN.
Thank you, Christine! This was a pleasure.
The Courtship airs on Wednesday nights on USA Network and the following day on Peacock TV. Be sure to stay tuned for more updates on how Nicole’s fairy tale unfolds!
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